Undoubtedly, abortion remains an incredibly contentious and controversial topic within the United States. With fervent ideologues on both sides of the issue, the topic of abortion has remained an important issue within American society. A result of all the rhetoric and impassioned arguments, though, it can be difficult to fully grasp the extent to which abortion is practiced in the US.

Abortion On The Decline

Over the last two decades, abortion has fallen steadily within the US. Less than one million fetuses were aborted in 2014 compared to about 1.36 million in 1996. This change represents a substantial difference: a nearly 30% decline from the number of abortions performed. While some in the pro-life community may view this as a victory, the surprising fact is that according to AGI, one in five of all US pregnancies end in an abortion.

Why Do Women Get Abortions?

The decision to terminate a pregnancy is an extremely complicated, emotional choice. Oftentimes, many different factors are involved in a woman's decision to have an abortion, but the most frequently cited reasons involve economic motives. Three in four women cite interference with work and limited economic means as reasons for terminating a pregnancy, while about one percent report being a victim of rape. It is important to note, however, that these reasons are self-reported, so there may significant bias in the statistic concerning the touchy subject of sexual assault.

When Do Abortions Take Place?

The question of timing is incredibly important when it comes to the issue of abortion. Pro-life advocates and even some pro-choice individuals believe that restrictions should be placed on the how long a woman can wait before aborting the fetus. According to the CDC, the majority of abortions occur within 7 weeks of pregnancy, and about 2 percent of all abortions take place after 21 weeks, what many would regard as a "late term" abortion.