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 all different sorts of people, of different ages, experience abortion. 60% of women seeking abortions already have children. 73% are religiously affiliated. 69% live in poverty. 88% have their abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Why do women have abortions?

The reasons women give for having an abortion underscore their understanding of the responsibilities of parenthood and family life. 75% of women 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 husband or partner; and 38% have completed childbearing.

Is abortion dangerous?

A first-trimester abortion is one of the safest medical procedures, with minimal risk. At any stage in gestation, carrying a pregnancy to term is more risky (at least 10x) than having a safe abortion. 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 the pregnancy to term.