The number of abortion-related deaths in the U.S. has decreased dramatically since 1973. In 1973, the number of deaths related to abortions was 47. In 2020, the number of reported deaths related to abortions had decreased to just six. Abortion is the act of ending a pregnancy so that it does not result in the birth of a baby.
Abortions in the U.S.
Abortions can be performed in a surgical setting or a medical setting (the pill). The number of legal abortions reported in the U.S. has been on the decline in recent years. The most frequently performed kind of abortion in the U.S. in 2021 were medical abortions. Abortion and the legality and morality of the procedure has been a publicly debated topic in the United States for many years.
Public opinions on abortion
Opinions on abortion in the United States can be divided into two campaigns. Pro-choice is the belief that women have the right to decide when they want to become pregnant and if they want to terminate the pregnancy through an abortion. Pro-life, is the belief that women should not be able to choose to have an abortion. As of 2023, around 52 percent of the U.S. population was pro-choice, while 44 percent considered themselves pro-life. However, these shares have fluctuated over the past couple decades, with a majority of people saying they were pro-life as recently as 2019.
Number of abortion-related deaths reported in the U.S. from 1973 to 2020
Includes both legal and illegal abortions. An abortion is defined as legal if it was performed by a licensed clinician within the limits of state law. An abortion is defined as illegal if it was performed by any person other than a licensed clinician.
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CDC. (November 24, 2023). Number of abortion-related deaths reported in the U.S. from 1973 to 2020 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 12, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/658555/number-of-abortion-deaths-us/
CDC. "Number of abortion-related deaths reported in the U.S. from 1973 to 2020." Chart. November 24, 2023. Statista. Accessed October 12, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/658555/number-of-abortion-deaths-us/
CDC. (2023). Number of abortion-related deaths reported in the U.S. from 1973 to 2020. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 12, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/658555/number-of-abortion-deaths-us/
CDC. "Number of Abortion-related Deaths Reported in The U.S. from 1973 to 2020." Statista, Statista Inc., 24 Nov 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/658555/number-of-abortion-deaths-us/
CDC, Number of abortion-related deaths reported in the U.S. from 1973 to 2020 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/658555/number-of-abortion-deaths-us/ (last visited October 12, 2024)
Number of abortion-related deaths reported in the U.S. from 1973 to 2020 [Graph], CDC, November 24, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/658555/number-of-abortion-deaths-us/