Abortions slightly declined the year Roe v. Wade was overturned, CDC says
In 2022, the United States saw a slight decrease in the number of abortions, despite the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the power to regulate abortion access back to the states. According to the latest surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there was a 2% drop in the number of abortions compared to 2021. The abortion rate also decreased by 3%, and the abortion ratio went down by 2%.
The total number of abortions in 2022 was reported to be 609,000, down from approximately 622,000 in the previous year. This decline comes as many Republican-led states have implemented abortion bans following the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The majority of abortions in 2022 were performed before nine weeks of pregnancy, with over 70% being early medication abortions. This trend is similar to the data from before Roe v. Wade was overturned. Additionally, more than 6% of abortions occurred between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, while about 1% were carried out at or after 21 weeks of pregnancy.
Women in their 20s accounted for over half of all abortions in 2022, according to the CDC report. Interestingly, nearly 60% of women who had abortions had previously given birth.
The CDC’s data includes information from 47 areas of the U.S. that have published data from 2013 to 2022. Despite the changes in abortion laws and regulations, the overall trends in abortion rates and demographics have remained relatively consistent.
As the debate over abortion continues to evolve, it is essential to consider the impact of these laws on women’s access to reproductive healthcare. The nuanced data provided by the CDC sheds light on the complex landscape of abortion in the United States and highlights the need for comprehensive and inclusive policies that prioritize women’s health and autonomy.
