What you need to know
The debate over abortion access has been shaped by the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. States now set their own policies protecting, limiting, or outright banning abortion access without any federal standard for access to abortion. In many cases, the current debate does not consider reliably collected data about the number, method, and timing of abortions in contemporary America. This brief addresses the following questions:
- How many abortions take place annually?
- Is abortion becoming more or less common?
- At what point in pregnancy are these abortions occurring?
- How are available methods changing the way abortions are performed?
How many abortions occur in America?
Data on the number of abortions performed annually is collected by the federal Centers for Disease Control and the private research and policy organization Guttmacher Institute from hospitals, doctors, and medical providers––including telemedicine. Everything Policy used data from the Guttmacher Institute. Although Guttmacher is generally considered to be a left-leaning organization, specifically advocating for abortion rights and reproductive health, the organization strives for nonpartisanship in its research, and its data is available for a more extended period.
The two figures below show the trend in the number of abortions over time, both raw numbers and the rate of abortions per 1000 birth-age (15-45) women.
The first chart shows that the annual number of abortions has declined from about 1.6 million in the 1980s to about a million in recent years. The second chart, which controls for population changes, shows that the abortion rate (number of abortions per 1000 birth-age women) has dropped in half, from 30 in the 1980s to less than 15 in recent years.
In general, the data show that abortions have become less common over time. During this same time, the birth rate has remained relatively stable.
In general, this data reflects that abortions have become less common over time. During this same time, the birth rate has remained relatively stable.
At what point of pregnancy are these abortions occurring?
The Centers for Disease Control collects data on abortion timing––the point during a pregnancy when the procedure is performed. The chart below shows 2020 data (the most recent available).
The chart shows that the vast majority of abortions are performed early in pregnancy—over 40 percent before six weeks and 80 percent before nine weeks. Very few—less than a percent—occur after 20 weeks of gestation. While there is no systematic data available, anecdotal evidence indicates that most abortions performed beyond 20 weeks are because of fetal abnormalities or maternal health issues, although some cases are due to individuals facing difficulties like personal decisions, costs of procedures, or clinic access.
How are available methods changing the way abortions are performed?
More and more abortions are being performed using medication called “Plan C.” For reference, the morning-after pill is typically referred to as “Plan B.” Plan C, also commonly referred to as the “abortion pill,” is two different medications taken several days apart, mifepristone and misoprostol, which ends early pregnancies 95-99% of the time. Generally, it is used up to 70 days, or ten weeks, after the first day of a menstrual period is missed.
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that approximately 63% of abortions tracked through the U.S. healthcare system in 2023 were medication abortions. Some states require that one or both pills be taken in a medical facility, but many states allow the pills to be dispensed by mail after a telemedicine appointment. A recent study by the Society of Family Planning found that as of mid-2024, the rate of telemedicine abortions has increased to nearly 20 percent of all abortions.
The Takeaway
Although the data does not address the moral and ethical aspects of legalized abortion, it does show that overall abortion rates have been declining for the past generation, with a small increase in the early 2020s, but an apparent leveling-off from 2023 to 2024.
Given that approximately 90% of all abortions are performed during the first trimester (weeks 1-14), state laws that restrict abortions during the second trimester (weeks 15-28) will likely have a relatively small impact on overall abortion rates.
The fact that women can obtain Plan C medication by mail without medical supervision has the potential to sidestep state-level limits on access to abortion. Many providers of these medications are outside the U.S., so they are not subject to federal or state regulation or prosecution. At present, only some abortions are self-managed, but this percentage will likely increase due to greater access to medications by mail. The data also suggests that domestic telemedicine abortion providers are sending Plan C medication to residents of states with limited abortion access.
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Further reading
Friedrish-Karnik, A., Stoskopf-Ehrich, E., and R. Jones. 2024. Medication Abortion Within and Outside the Formal US Health Care System: What You Need to Know. Guttmacher Institute, https://tinyurl.com/a3zcdt45, accessed 8/5/24.
Diamant, J., Mohamed, B., and R. Leppert. 2024. What the Data Says About Abortion in America, Pew Research Center, https://tinyurl.com/mrx57uur, accessed 8/3/24.
Sources
Aiken, A. R., Wells, E. S., Gomperts, R., & Scott, J. G. (2024). Provision of Medications for Self-Managed Abortion Before and After the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization Decision. JAMA, 331(18), 1558-1564. Available at https://tinyurl.com/2cpujcta, accessed 8/5/24.
Guttmacher Institute. (2025). Monthly Abortion Provision Study. Available at https://tinyurl.com/38r3duvs, accessed 6/11/25. (Chart Data)
Kimport, K. (2022). Is third‐trimester abortion exceptional? Two pathways to abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy in the United States. Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health, 54(2), 38-45. Available at https://tinyurl.com/uyf3zy4u. Accessed 06/27/25.
Kortsmit, K. (2022). Abortion surveillance—United States, 2020. Surveillance Summaries 71(10): 1–2. Available at https://tinyurl.com/5yj9x69v, accessed 8/5/24. (Chart Data)
Ralph, L., Foster, D. G., Raifman, S., Biggs, M. A., Samari, G., Upadhyay, U., & Grossman, D. (2020). Prevalence of self-managed abortion among women of reproductive age in the United States. JAMA network open, 3(12), e2029245-e2029245
Society of Family Planning. (2024). #WeCount Report. Available at https://tinyurl.com/ytwz6xh7, accessed 8/8/24.
U.S. Census. (2025). National Population By Characteristics, 2020-2024. Available at https://tinyurl.com/366jw3du,, accessed 6/11/25. (Chart Data)
Contributors
Robert Holahan (Content Lead) is Associate Professor of Political Science at Binghamton University (SUNY). He holds a PhD in Political Science from Indiana University where his advisor was Nobel Laureate Elinor Ostrom. His research focuses on natural resource policy, particularly in domestic oil and gas production, but also extends into international environmental policy. He was PI on a National Science Foundation grant that utilized a 3000-person mail-based survey, several internet-based surveys, and a series of laboratory economics experiments to better understand Americans’ perspectives on energy production issues like oil drilling and wind farm development.
William Bianco (Research Director) is Professor of Political Science at Indiana University and Founding Director of the Indiana Political Analytics Workshop. He received his PhD from the University of Rochester. His teaching focuses on first-year students and the Introduction to American Government class, emphasizing quantitative literacy. He is the co-author of American Politics Today, an introductory textbook published by W. W. Norton now in its 8th edition, and authored a second textbook, American Politics: Strategy and Choice. His research program is on American politics, including Trust: Representatives and Constituents and numerous articles. He was also the PI or Co-PI for seven National Science Foundation grants and a current grant from the Russell Sage Foundation on the sources of inequalities in federal COVID assistance programs. His op-eds have been published in the Washington Post, Indianapolis Star, Newsday, and other venues.
A previous version of this policy brief was written by Alison Cooper, Olivia DiPietro, and Nicholas Clark (Content Lead).
