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A look at the changing number of legal abortions in the U.S. since the 1970s

A look at the changing number of legal abortions in the U.S. since the 1970s
Number of legal induced abortions per year in U.S., according to two different organizations
Note: Guttmacher data for 1983, 1986, 1989-90, 1993-94, 1997-98, 2001-03, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2018 are estimates from Guttmacher. CDC totals from 1973 to 1996 include all 50 states and D.C. To allow for comparison, CDC data since 1997 excludes states that did not report data each year of the specified time period. CDC data in this graphic from 1997-99 excludes Alaska, California, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and West Virginia. CDC data from 2000-09 excludes Alaska, California, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire and West Virginia. CDC data from 2010-11 excludes California, Maryland, New Hampshire and D.C. CDC data from 2012-22 excludes California, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey and D.C.
Sources: Guttmacher Institute; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
A look at the changing number of legal abortions in the U.S. since the 1970s
Number of legal induced abortions per year in U.S., according to two different organizations
YearGuttmacherCDC
1973744,600615,831
1974898,600763,476
19751,034,200854,853
19761,179,300988,267
19771,316,7001,079,430
19781,409,6001,157,780
19791,497,7001,251,920
19801,553,9001,297,610
19811,577,3001,300,760
19821,573,9001,303,980
19831,575,0001,268,990
19841,577,2001,333,520
19851,588,6001,328,570
19861,574,0001,328,110
19871,559,1001,353,670
19881,590,8001,371,280
19891,566,9001,396,660
19901,608,6001,429,580
19911,556,5001,388,940
19921,528,9001,359,140
19931,500,0001,330,410
19941,431,0001,267,420
19951,363,7001,210,880
19961,365,7001,221,580
19971,335,000885,624
19981,319,000870,184
19991,314,800847,283
20001,313,000826,123
20011,291,000821,850
20021,269,000823,534
20031,250,000820,052
20041,222,100811,381
20051,206,200801,577
20061,242,200827,888
20071,209,600812,273
20081,212,400810,403
20091,151,600772,630
20101,102,700762,755
20111,058,500727,554
20121,011,000673,634
2013958,700640,154
2014926,200625,668
2015899,500613,911
2016874,100599,001
2017862,320587,611
2018885,800591,884
2019916,460603,168
2020930,160592,939
2021—622,108
2022—609,360
Download data as .csv
Note: Guttmacher data for 1983, 1986, 1989-90, 1993-94, 1997-98, 2001-03, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2018 are estimates from Guttmacher. CDC totals from 1973 to 1996 include all 50 states and D.C. To allow for comparison, CDC data since 1997 excludes states that did not report data each year of the specified time period. CDC data in this graphic from 1997-99 excludes Alaska, California, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and West Virginia. CDC data from 2000-09 excludes Alaska, California, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire and West Virginia. CDC data from 2010-11 excludes California, Maryland, New Hampshire and D.C. CDC data from 2012-22 excludes California, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey and D.C.
Sources: Guttmacher Institute; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
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