Who has abortions?

About half of all pregnancies in the U.S. each year are unintended, and 4 in 10 of these are ended by medically safe, legal abortions — which means that people, of different ages and backgrounds, experience abortion. 60% of people who terminate a pregnancy already have children, and 73% are religiously affiliated.

Why do people have abortions?

People have many reasons for deciding to terminate a pregnancy. 75% cite concern for or responsibility to other individuals; 73% say they cannot afford a child; 69% say that having a baby would interfere with work, school, or the ability to care for existing children; 48% say they do not want to be a single parent or are having problems with their partner; and 38% do not want more kids.

People may not be ready to be a parent yet, worry that the pregnancy will harm their health, or they may be focused on wanting  to be the best parent possible to the kids they already have. No matter what the scenario is, choosing to have an abortion is valid and the only person who should decide if, when, and under what circumstances to start a family is you. 

Is abortion dangerous?

A first-trimester abortion is one of the safest medical procedures, with minimal risk. In fact, at  any stage in gestation, carrying a pregnancy to term is more risky (at least 10x) than terminating a pregnancy. First-trimester abortions pose virtually no risk of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, birth defect, or preterm delivery or low birth weight of subsequent pregnancies. Exhaustive reviews by panels convened by the U.S. and British governments have concluded that there is no association between abortion and breast cancer, or any other cancers. The risk of mental health problems is no greater for someone having a first-trimester abortion than if they carry a pregnancy to term.