Q: How many abortions are performed because of rape, incest, or for the woman's or the baby's poor health?
A 1987-88 survey of 1,900 American women at abortion clinics revealed that few decided to abort because they had been victims of rape or incest, were carrying a "defective" baby, or whose pregnancies were harmful to their own health. In the survey, some women gave more than one of the following answers:
- 76% were concerned about how a baby could change their lives
- 68% could not afford a baby at the time
- 51% had relationship problems or wanted to avoid single parenthood
- 31% were unready for responsibility
- 31% did not want other to know they'd had sex or were pregnant
- 26% had all the children they wanted, or had all grown-up children
- 23% had a husband or partner who wanted them to abort
- 7% had parents who wanted them to abort
(All of the above abortions could have been avoided by the use of birth control.)
- 13% of the babies had a possible health problem (only 8% of these women, or 1% of the total, said a physician had positively informed them of a fetal defect or abnormality)
- 7% of the women had a health* problem
- 1% were victims of rape or incest
(These last three reasons for abortion would typically be categorized as "hard cases." *The U.S. Supreme Court recognizes 'health' to be "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity," as defined by the World Health Organization.)
Of women who were sixteen or more weeks pregnant at the time of their abortion:
- 71% delayed the decision because they did not realize they were pregnant or did not know how long they'd been pregnant
- 48% had trouble arranging for an abortion
- 33% were afraid to tell their partners or parents.
- 24% took time to decide to have an abortion
- 8% waited for a relationship to change
- 8% were pressured by someone not to have an abortion
- 6% situation changed after becoming pregnant
- 6% didn't know timing was important
- 5% didn't know she could obtain an abortion
- 2% fetal problem diagnosed late in pregnancy
As the survey shows, few abortions are for the "hard cases." But "hard case" abortions enjoy the approval of most Americans, while abortions substituting for birth control have a high disapproval rating. A 1991 Gallup poll found Americans approved various reasons for abortions on a sliding scale:
- 80-88% when the mother's life was threatened (no one in the survey of aborting women gave this reason)
- 82% when the woman's physical health is endangered (7% or less of abortions)
- 70-77% in situations of rape and incest (only 1% of abortions)
- 58% serious fetal deformity (only 1-2% of abortions)
- 55-66% mother's mental health endangered (7% or less of abortions)
- 29% low income or financial burden (68% of abortions)
- 28% teen mother would drop out of school (perhaps 76% of abortions)
- 27% father left (51% of abortions)
- 19% pregnancy would interrupt professional career (perhaps
76% of abortions)
- 9% abortion used repeatedly as birth control (most abortions)
- 6% to select sex of baby
In other words, most Americans think most abortions are wrong. Furthermore, many Americans favor restrictions on abortion:
- 74% favor a 24-hour waiting period
- 86% favor informed consent
- 74% favor parental consent for minors
- 70% favor spousal notification
- 71% favor a ban on partial-birth abortions
- 82% think abortion should be illegal in the last three months of pregnancy
Sources:
Family Planning Perspectives 20:169, July/August 1988; "Abortion and Moral Beliefs: A Survey of American Opinion," The Gallup Organization for Americans United for Life, 2/28/91; USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll, July 25-28, 1996.
See www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html for more data and analysis.
Q: How many abortions are performed because of rape, incest, or for the woman's or the baby's poor health?
A 1987-88 survey of 1,900 American women at abortion clinics revealed that few decided to abort because they had been victims of rape or incest, were carrying a "defective" baby, or whose pregnancies were harmful to their own health. In the survey, some women gave more than one of the following answers:
- 76% were concerned about how a baby could change their lives
- 68% could not afford a baby at the time
- 51% had relationship problems or wanted to avoid single parenthood
- 31% were unready for responsibility
- 31% did not want other to know they'd had sex or were pregnant
- 26% had all the children they wanted, or had all grown-up children
- 23% had a husband or partner who wanted them to abort
- 7% had parents who wanted them to abort
(All of the above abortions could have been avoided by the use of birth control.)
- 13% of the babies had a possible health problem (only 8% of these women, or 1% of the total, said a physician had positively informed them of a fetal defect or abnormality)
- 7% of the women had a health* problem
- 1% were victims of rape or incest
(These last three reasons for abortion would typically be categorized as "hard cases." *The U.S. Supreme Court recognizes 'health' to be "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity," as defined by the World Health Organization.)
Of women who were sixteen or more weeks pregnant at the time of their abortion:
- 71% delayed the decision because they did not realize they were pregnant or did not know how long they'd been pregnant
- 48% had trouble arranging for an abortion
- 33% were afraid to tell their partners or parents.
- 24% took time to decide to have an abortion
- 8% waited for a relationship to change
- 8% were pressured by someone not to have an abortion
- 6% situation changed after becoming pregnant
- 6% didn't know timing was important
- 5% didn't know she could obtain an abortion
- 2% fetal problem diagnosed late in pregnancy
As the survey shows, few abortions are for the "hard cases." But "hard case" abortions enjoy the approval of most Americans, while abortions substituting for birth control have a high disapproval rating. A 1991 Gallup poll found Americans approved various reasons for abortions on a sliding scale:
- 80-88% when the mother's life was threatened (no one in the survey of aborting women gave this reason)
- 82% when the woman's physical health is endangered (7% or less of abortions)
- 70-77% in situations of rape and incest (only 1% of abortions)
- 58% serious fetal deformity (only 1-2% of abortions)
- 55-66% mother's mental health endangered (7% or less of abortions)
- 29% low income or financial burden (68% of abortions)
- 28% teen mother would drop out of school (perhaps 76% of abortions)
- 27% father left (51% of abortions)
- 19% pregnancy would interrupt professional career (perhaps
76% of abortions)
- 9% abortion used repeatedly as birth control (most abortions)
- 6% to select sex of baby
In other words, most Americans think most abortions are wrong. Furthermore, many Americans favor restrictions on abortion:
- 74% favor a 24-hour waiting period
- 86% favor informed consent
- 74% favor parental consent for minors
- 70% favor spousal notification
- 71% favor a ban on partial-birth abortions
- 82% think abortion should be illegal in the last three months of pregnancy
Sources:
Family Planning Perspectives 20:169, July/August 1988; "Abortion and Moral Beliefs: A Survey of American Opinion," The Gallup Organization for Americans United for Life, 2/28/91; USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll, July 25-28, 1996.
See www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html for more data and analysis.