• What proportion of pregnancies are unplanned?
  • In the United States, about half of all pregnancies are unintended, and about half of unintended pregnancies are terminated by abortion. Worldwide, almost two in five women who become pregnant have either an abortion or an unplanned birth. (4)
    
• How high are teenage pregnancy rates in the United States?
  • Teenage pregnancy, birth and abortion rates in the United States have been declining for a decade. Nevertheless, the United States continues to have a substantially higher teenage pregnancy rate than most other developed countries—for example, nearly twice the rate in Australia or Canada and more than four times the rate in France. (6)
    

Abortion Incidence

• How many women around the world have abortions each year?
  • Each year, women have an estimated 46 million abortions worldwide. Of these, 20 million are clandestine abortions and are generally unsafe. More than three-quarters of all abortions occur in developing countries. (29)
    
• Is abortion becoming less common in the United States?
  • Yes. After increasing between 1973 and 1980, the abortion rate has been declining overall and for most subgroups. However, it increased in 2000 among poor and low-income women (those living at less than twice the poverty level or less than $28,300 for a family of three) and women on Medicaid. (34)
    
• What proportion of U.S. women will have an abortion in their lifetime?
  • On the basis of current abortion rates, one in three American women will have had an abortion by age 45. (36)
    
• Do women who have an abortion want children?
  • Six in 10 U.S. women having abortions are already mothers. More than half intend to have (more) children in the future. (40)
    
• Do women with religious affiliations have abortions?
  • Nearly eight in 10 U.S. women obtaining an abortion report a religious affiliation
    • (43% Protestant, 27% Catholic and 8% other). Among all women aged 15-44, 51% are Protestant, 28% are Catholic and 5% belong to other religions. [39]
      
      

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*All visitors who choose to visit this site should know that the Guttmacher Institute is affiliated with Planned Parenthood.  While The Guttmacher Institute's  statistical research is generally well respected as accurate,  it should be clear that NAMB, The Center for Missional Research, do not share nor endorse their views on abortion nor certain conclusions they draw from research findings.

Abortion Incidence and Services in the United States in 2000 by Lawrence B Finer and Stanley K. Henshaw

U.S. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics: Overall Trends, Trends by Race and Ethnicity And State-by-State Information (Included Pregnancy, Birth, and Abortion statistics) by the Guttmacher Institute (1986-2000) updated in 2004