Every year, an invisible medical reality unfolds for 73 million women globally—a tapestry of personal decisions, systemic challenges, and staggering statistics that shape the complex story of abortion in our world.
Key Takeaways
- Globally, an estimated 73 million induced abortions occur annually, equating to 39 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-49 years
- Between 2015-2019, 61% of unintended pregnancies worldwide ended in abortion, affecting 45% of pregnancies in developing regions
- In 2020, the global abortion rate was 39 per 1,000 women of reproductive age, highest in Africa at 47 per 1,000
- In the United States, 930,160 abortions were reported in 2020, a 2% decline from 2019
- US abortion rate in 2020 was 11.2 per 1,000 women aged 15-44, lowest since 1973
- Abortion ratio in US 2020 was 204 per 1,000 live births, down 3% from 2019
- US abortions by race 2020: non-Hispanic black 38.4%, white 32.5%, Hispanic 21.8%
- 2019 abortion patients: 60% aged 18-29, 14% under 18, 12% 30-34
- US women obtaining abortions: 75% have prior live birth, 59% low-income 2014
- US 2020: early medication abortions 54% of total, surgical curettage 39%
- Gestational age 2021: 92.8% ≤13 weeks, 5.7% 14-20 weeks, 1.4% ≥21 weeks
- Medication abortion share rose from 35% in 2017 to 53% in 2020 nationally
- US complication rate for legal abortion: <0.5% major, mostly infection/hemorrhage
- CDC surveillance 2019: 0.41 complications per 100 abortions at clinics
- Maternal mortality ratio for abortion 0.41 per 100,000 legal procedures vs 23.8 live births
Abortions are common but unsafe procedures cause many maternal deaths worldwide.
Demographic Statistics
- US abortions by race 2020: non-Hispanic black 38.4%, white 32.5%, Hispanic 21.8%
- 2019 abortion patients: 60% aged 18-29, 14% under 18, 12% 30-34
- US women obtaining abortions: 75% have prior live birth, 59% low-income 2014
- Black women US abortion rate 28.6 per 1,000 (2021), vs white 6.4, Hispanic 11.0
- 42% of abortion patients identify as Protestant, 26% no religion, 22% Catholic (2014)
- Adolescents <15: 0.2% of abortions, 15-19: 8.5% in 2021 CDC data
- 49% of US abortion patients below federal poverty level, 26% 100-199% FPL (2014)
- Hispanic women abortion ratio 17% higher than whites, rate 18% higher (2020)
- 65% single/never married among abortion patients, 14% cohabiting (2014)
- Non-Hispanic black women: 39% of abortions despite 13% population (2021)
- Age-specific rates 2021: peak 20-24 at 25.1 per 1,000, <15 at 0.6
- 51% of patients college-educated or higher? No, 58% high school or less (2014)
- White women 33% of abortions, 52% population share (2020)
- 85% urban residency for abortion patients, 72% prior birth among 18+ (2014)
- Abortion ratio by race 2021: black 428 per 1,000 births, white 104
- 34% of patients had prior abortion, rising with age to 50% for 30+ (2014)
- Medicaid-eligible likely for 70% if funded, but patients pay out-of-pocket mostly
- Teen abortion rates: 8.6 per 1,000 (15-19) in 2020, down 88% since 1991
- 67% previous births among patients over 25, vs 15% no births under 20 (2014)
- Other races (Asian/PI) 6% of abortions, rate 8.5 per 1,000 (2021)
- 56% of patients white non-Hispanic? No, 39% white, 36% black, 18% Hispanic (2014)
- Marital status: 82% unmarried, highest among 20-24 at 91% (2021 rates)
- Education: 66% ≤ high school among patients under 30 (2014)
- In 2021, 93% abortions by known age: 57% 20-29 years old group
Demographic Statistics Interpretation
These sobering statistics, where a Black woman is six times more likely than her white counterpart to face this decision while also being disproportionately poor and unmarried, reveal not a moral failing but a systemic one, where access to healthcare, economic security, and social support is grotesquely stratified along racial lines.
Global Statistics
- Globally, an estimated 73 million induced abortions occur annually, equating to 39 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-49 years
- Between 2015-2019, 61% of unintended pregnancies worldwide ended in abortion, affecting 45% of pregnancies in developing regions
- In 2020, the global abortion rate was 39 per 1,000 women of reproductive age, highest in Africa at 47 per 1,000
- Worldwide, 97% of abortions occur in developing countries, with 61% in Asia alone from 2010-2014 data
- An estimated 25 million unsafe abortions occur yearly globally, causing 47,000 maternal deaths
- Global lifetime incidence of abortion is 1 in 4 women, rising to 1 in 3 in Europe, per 2017 estimates
- In low-income countries, abortion rates are 36 per 1,000 women aged 15-44, compared to 17 in high-income nations
- From 1990-2019, global unintended pregnancy rate dropped 16% but abortion ratio stable at 42%
- 56% of global abortions are unsafe, concentrated in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa
- Worldwide, adolescents aged 15-19 account for 3% of abortions but have higher complication rates
- In 2019, Latin America had 4.7 million abortions despite restrictive laws, rate of 32 per 1,000
- Global abortion incidence peaked at 73 million in 2020, up from 56 million in 1990-1994
- 45% of all induced abortions worldwide are unsafe, leading to 7 million complications annually
- Eastern Africa has the highest unsafe abortion rate at 36 per 1,000 women aged 15-49
- Globally, repeat abortions constitute 40-50% of cases in surveyed countries
- In 2015-2019, Western Europe abortion rate was 14 per 1,000, lowest globally among regions
- 9% of maternal deaths worldwide are due to unsafe abortion, totaling 13% in Africa
- Global abortion ratio is 29%, meaning 29 abortions per 100 pregnancies, 2015-2019
- South-Eastern Asia sees 29 million abortions yearly, 49% unsafe
- From 1995-2019, global abortion rate declined 43% in developed regions but only 10% in developing
- Oceania has abortion rate of 17 per 1,000 women, with Australia at 12.3 per 1,000 in 2020
- 73% of abortions in developing regions are among married women, vs 32% in developed
- Western Africa abortion rate 3.9 per 1,000 pregnancies, highest unintended pregnancy termination
- Globally, 14 million abortions yearly among adolescents, 3.9 per 1,000 girls aged 15-19
- Central Asia abortion rate 35 per 1,000 women, down from 90 in 1990s due to contraceptive use
- 50 million women in developing countries have lifetime abortion experience
- Eastern Europe abortion rate 27 per 1,000 in 2010-2014, highest among developed regions
- Global cost of unsafe abortions is $553 million annually in health care expenses
- Southern Africa 15% maternal mortality from abortion, vs global 4.7%
- 2020 global abortions: 45% medication, 55% surgical, varying by region access
Global Statistics Interpretation
The grim math of unintended pregnancy persists globally, where the staggering 73 million annual abortions—disproportionately unsafe and fatal in developing nations—reveal not a failure of women's choices, but a catastrophic failure of health systems and reproductive policy.
Health and Safety Statistics
- US complication rate for legal abortion: <0.5% major, mostly infection/hemorrhage
- CDC surveillance 2019: 0.41 complications per 100 abortions at clinics
- Maternal mortality ratio for abortion 0.41 per 100,000 legal procedures vs 23.8 live births
- Infection rate post-abortion <1%, reduced by doxycycline prophylaxis
- Hemorrhage requiring transfusion: 0.06-0.4% for first trimester procedures
- No deaths from legal abortion 2013-2019 CDC data, 14 unsafe cases investigated
- Medication abortion incomplete: 2-5%, managed by misoprostol or aspiration
- Perforation risk: 0.1-4 per 1,000 surgical first trimester, lower with ultrasound
- Mental health: no increased risk of depression/anxiety post-abortion vs childbirth
- Cervical laceration: 0.16-1.1% aspiration procedures
- Retained products: 0.5-2% surgical, treated expectantly or re-aspiration
- Ectopic pregnancy risk unchanged post-abortion, 1-2% baseline
- Future fertility: no impact from uncomplicated abortion, per longitudinal studies
- VTE risk medication abortion 0.2-0.5 per 10,000, similar to early pregnancy loss
- Second trimester complication rate 2-4x first trimester, mostly bleeding
- Breast cancer link: no causal association per 2018 NAS report reviewing 100+ studies
- Preterm birth risk slightly elevated after multiple D&E (OR 1.9), single negligible
- Pain management: 70% report moderate-severe pain, NSAIDs effective 80%
- Sepsis mortality near zero with prompt care, <0.0001%
- Regret rates: 6% at 5 years post-abortion vs 11% full-term
- Rh isoimmunization prevented in 99% with anti-D globulin
- Cardiac events: no increased MI/stroke risk post-procedure
- Emergency room visits post-medication: 2.3%, mostly bleeding/cramping
Health and Safety Statistics Interpretation
The data shows that while no medical procedure is without risk, legal abortion in the United States has a safety record so robust that, statistically, you're significantly more likely to suffer a serious complication from giving birth than from ending a pregnancy.
Procedural Statistics
- US 2020: early medication abortions 54% of total, surgical curettage 39%
- Gestational age 2021: 92.8% ≤13 weeks, 5.7% 14-20 weeks, 1.4% ≥21 weeks
- Medication abortion share rose from 35% in 2017 to 53% in 2020 nationally
- 63% of abortions <9 weeks gestation in 2020, eligible for medication regimen
- Surgical abortions: aspiration 88%, D&E 10% for ≥14 weeks (2021 data)
- By method 2020: suction curettage 52%, medication 54%, sharp curettage 1%
- Instillation procedures <0.5% of US abortions, used ≥16 weeks rarely
- 2023 telehealth medication abortions: 20% of total, up from 5% pre-Dobbs
- Early abortions (≤8 weeks): 65% medication, 32% aspiration in 2021
- Hysterotomy/hysterectomy <0.3% of procedures, reserved for late-term medical cases
- Second trimester abortions (14-20 weeks): 95% D&E nationally in 2020
- Mifepristone/misoprostol regimen used in 98% medication abortions ≤10 weeks
- Clinic surgical volume average 1,717 abortions/year per provider in 2020
- 6-week limit states saw shift to medication early, but 75% still ≤6 weeks eligible
- Unknown method 5% in CDC reports due to non-reporting states
- Aspiration curettage dominant for 9-13 weeks: 90% of cases in 2021
- Post-2022, shield laws enable mail-order mifepristone for 63% of US population
- Dilation and evacuation: 96% of ≥21 week abortions (rare, 1%)
- Outpatient medication success rate 94-98% for ≤11 weeks, per FDA labeling
- 2020 trends: medication abortions up 12% year-over-year due to COVID telehealth
- Manual vacuum aspiration used in 5-10% early surgical procedures
- Electric vacuum aspiration 85% of first-trimester surgical abortions
- Gestational limit: 39 states report method by trimester, 93% early
Procedural Statistics Interpretation
While the American abortion landscape often feels like a political chessboard, the actual data paints a more intimate and evolving picture: a clear majority of abortions now occur very early via medication, a quiet yet profound shift toward personal privacy and medical accessibility that even restrictive laws are struggling to contain.
US National Statistics
- In the United States, 930,160 abortions were reported in 2020, a 2% decline from 2019
- US abortion rate in 2020 was 11.2 per 1,000 women aged 15-44, lowest since 1973
- Abortion ratio in US 2020 was 204 per 1,000 live births, down 3% from 2019
- From 2011-2021, US abortions increased 6% overall, but declined 26% in states with bans
- 2023 estimate: 1,037,000 abortions in US, highest in 10 years post-Dobbs
- CDC reports 620,327 abortions in 2021 from 46 states/DC, excluding big states like CA
- US lifetime abortion incidence: 1 in 4 women by age 45, per 2014-2019 data
- Abortions dropped 20% from 2012 peak of 1.06 million to 862,320 in 2017
- In 2020, New York reported 75,000 abortions, highest state total
- US abortion providers: 1,530 in 2020, down from 1,800 in 2017
- Post-Roe v Wade overturn, 2022 abortions fell 1.5% nationally but rose in permissive states
- 2019 US abortion rate: 13.5 per 1,000 women 15-44, varying from 3.5 in WY to 27.5 in NY
- Over 40 years (1973-2014), US abortions declined 32% from 1.25 million peak
- 2021 abortion ratio highest in DC at 508 per 1,000 live births
- Guttmacher estimates 862,000 abortions in 2017, 13% below 2014 peak
- From 2008-2014, early medication abortions rose from 17% to 23% of total
- US abortions: 92% before 13 weeks in 2021 CDC data
- 2020 Texas abortions: 53,871, down 3% but pre-ban surge
- National decline in teen abortions: 79% from 2007 to 2020 (15-19 age group)
- US repeat abortions: 45% of patients had prior abortion per 2014 data
- California reported 166,750 abortions in 2020, largest number nationally
- Abortion rate for women 15-44 fell 21% from 2007-2020 in reporting areas
- 2015-2020, US gestational age: 93% at ≤13 weeks, 6% 14-20 weeks
- Post-Dobbs 2023: abortions up 13% in states without bans vs down 27% with total bans
- US abortion clinics: 772 in 2020 providing 55% of abortions, rest medication/telehealth
- In 2021, Florida abortions: 74,860, up 9% from 2020
- US women obtaining abortions: 59% low-income (<100% poverty), 2014 data
- From 1973-2020, cumulative US abortions exceed 63 million reported
- New Jersey 2020 abortions: 40,316, rate 16.8 per 1,000 women 15-44
- In 2020, 49% of US abortions were by early medication (≤9 weeks)
- 18% of US women aged 15-49 have had abortion by age 45, per NSFG 2015-2019
- Georgia 2021 abortions: 26,080, down 2% amid heartbeat law challenges
US National Statistics Interpretation
The national decline in abortion rates is a misleadingly serene headline, as it papers over a stark and deliberate political sorting where access has become a cruel geography of haves and have-nots.
Sources & References
- Reference 1WHOwho.intVisit source
- Reference 2GUTTMACHERguttmacher.orgVisit source
- Reference 3PUBMEDpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 4UNFPAunfpa.orgVisit source
- Reference 5APPSapps.who.intVisit source
- Reference 6THELANCETthelancet.comVisit source
- Reference 7AIHWaihw.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 8CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 9FDAfda.govVisit source
- Reference 10ACOGacog.orgVisit source
- Reference 11NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 12APAapa.orgVisit source
- Reference 13NAPnap.nationalacademies.orgVisit source