Last updated: 02/17/2009

Abortion has been a legal procedure in the United States since 1973. Since then, more than 39 million abortions have taken place. It is estimated that approximately 1.3–1.4 million abortions occur in the United States annually. Induced abortions...

terminate approximately half of the estimated three million unplanned pregnancies each year and approximately one-fifth of all pregnancies.

In 2000 an estimated 21 out of 1,000 women aged 15–44 had an abortion. Out of every 100 pregnancies that year that ended in live birth or abortion, approximately 24 were elective terminations. The highest abortion rates in 2000 occurred in New Jersey, New York, California, Delaware, Florida, and Nevada (greater than 30 per 1,000 women of reproductive age). Kentucky, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Mississippi, Utah, and West Virginia had the lowest rates (less than seven per 1,000 women).

In 2000 and 2001, the highest percentage of abortions were performed on women between the ages of 20 and 30, with women ages 20–24 having the highest rate (47 per 1,000 women). Adolescents ages 15–19 accounted for 19% of elective abortions, while 25% were performed on women older than 30. Approximately 73% of women having an abortion had previously been pregnant; 48% of those had a previous abortion.

Non-hispanic, white women reported the highest percentage of abortions in 2000 and 2001 (41%). African American women accounted for 32%, Hispanic women for 20%, Asian and Pacific Islander women for 6%, and Native American women for 1%. The highest abortion rates occurred among African American women (49 per 1,000 women), with Hispanic and Asian women also reporting higher-than-average rates (33 and 31 per 1,000 women, respectively). The rate was the lowest among white women (13 per 1,000 women).