Abortion in the United States: The Numbers
- The House of Law, P.C. Attorneys & Counselors
- Jun 27, 2024
- 3 min read
Comprehensive Abortion Statistics in the United States (2019-2021)
Abortion is one of the most divisive topics in the United States today. Most people in the United States understand that abortions are a necessary medical procedure in various circumstances, such as rape, incest, and for the health of the mother. The abortion debate typically centers on late-term abortions, which, if you look at the data, are almost non-existent, so is this really an issue?
Number of Abortions Per Year
2019: 625,970 abortions
2020: 620,209 abortions
2021: 626,602 abortions
Abortions by Gestational Age
2019
≤13 weeks: 584,698 (93.41%)
14-20 weeks: 35,644 (5.69%)
≥21 weeks: 5,628 (0.90%)
2020
≤13 weeks: 579,317 (93.41%)
14-20 weeks: 35,316 (5.69%)
≥21 weeks: 5,576 (0.90%)
2021
≤13 weeks: 585,289 (93.41%)
14-20 weeks: 35,680 (5.69%)
≥21 weeks: 5,633 (0.90%)
Percent of All Pregnancies
2019: Total abortions accounted for 14.6051% of all pregnancies.
2020: Total abortions accounted for 14.6614% of all pregnancies.
2021: Total abortions accounted for 14.3171% of all pregnancies.
Abortions Per 100 Pregnancies
2019: 14.61 per 100 pregnancies
2020: 14.66 per 100 pregnancies
2021: 14.32 per 100 pregnancies
Reasons for Abortions After 20 Weeks
Abortions after 20 weeks are rare and usually occur due to:
Fetal Abnormalities: Often detected at the 20-week anatomy scan.
Maternal Health Concerns: Including conditions like pre-eclampsia, hyperemesis gravidarum, or non-pregnancy-related conditions such as cancer.
Access Barriers: Cost, lack of transportation, or scheduling delays.
Personal Circumstances: Indecision, disagreement with the father, or late discovery of pregnancy.
Social and Psychological Factors: Depression, unstable or violent relationships, being a single mother, or drug use​ (CDC)​​ (Guttmacher Institute)​​ (KFF)​.
Abortions Before and After Viability (24 Weeks)
Before Viability (≤24 weeks): Over 99% of abortions occur before this period.
After Viability (>24 weeks): Less than 1% of abortions, amounting to fewer than 6,259 cases in 2021.
Interactive 3d Charts for Total Births, Total Abortions, Abortions < 13 weeks, Abortions between 14 - 20 weeks and Abortions after 21 weeks:
Putting the Numbers into Perspective
1. Dying in a Car Accident in the U.S.
Odds: Approximately 1 in 103, which is 1 per 103.
Frequency: The frequency of late-term abortions is 0.13 per 100 pregnancies, or 1 per 769 pregnancies.
2. Developing Appendicitis
Odds: About 1 in 500 people will develop appendicitis in their lifetime, which is 1 per 500.
Frequency: The frequency of late-term abortions is 0.13 per 100 pregnancies, or 1 per 769 pregnancies.
3. Getting a Hole-in-One in Golf
Odds: Around 1 in 3,500 for an average golfer, which is 1 per 3,500.
Frequency: The frequency of late-term abortions is 0.13 per 100 pregnancies, or 1 per 769 pregnancies.
4. Being Born with Extra Fingers or Toes (Polydactyly)
Odds: Approximately 1 in 500 to 1,000, which is 1 per 500 to 1,000.
Frequency: The frequency of late-term abortions is 0.13 per 100 pregnancies, or 1 per 769 pregnancies.
5. Having Twins Naturally
Odds: About 1 in 250 pregnancies, which is 1 per 250.
Frequency: The frequency of late-term abortions is 0.13 per 100 pregnancies, or 1 per 769 pregnancies.
6. Choking to Death
Odds: Approximately 1 in 2,500, which is 1 per 2,500.
Frequency: The frequency of late-term abortions is 0.13 per 100 pregnancies, or 1 per 769 pregnancies.
Summary
These statistics illustrate that late-term abortions are exceedingly rare, occurring in only 0.13% of pregnancies, or 1 in every 769 pregnancies. By comparing this rate to other rare events, such as dying in a car accident or developing appendicitis, the rarity of late-term abortions becomes more apparent. Most abortions occur early in pregnancy, and those after 20 weeks are typically due to significant medical or personal circumstances.