Abortion is a common medical procedure sought by people of all racial, income, religious, and geographic demographics. People of all genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and immigration statuses need access to abortion, every single day. Stories from WeTestify bring to light the realities of people choosing abortion across the country.
Here are some baseline statistics about Americans who have abortions from Guttmacher Institute:
One in four cisgender women will have an abortion by age 45. While we don’t have statistical data on trans and nonbinary people, we do know they have abortions and seek competent and compassionate abortion care. We all deserve abortion care that is affirming of our genders.
Despite stigmatizing myths about teens obtaining a disproportionate number of abortions, the majority (57%) of abortions are obtained by people aged 20-29.
The majority of people who have abortions are people of color, due to disproportionate lack of access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare and contraception access. In the United States, Black people obtain 30% of all abortions, while Latinx people obtain 25% and people of other non-white races account for 9%. White people account for 36% of abortions. We must lift up the leadership of people of color when talking about abortion access and experiences.
People of faith have abortions. In 2014, 17% of abortion patients identified as mainline Protestant, 13% as evangelical Protestant, and 24% as Catholic. Nearly 10% of people having abortions reported another religious affiliation, and 38% reported no specific religious affiliation. Practicing one’s faith and need for abortion aren’t mutually exclusive.
Abortion is often a parenting decision — over 60% of people who have abortions are already parenting a child, and a third have two or more children.
Because of lack of support systems for families in our country, many people having abortions (75%) say they are unable to afford a child. Almost 70% of people obtaining abortions have an income that is under 200% of the federal poverty level, $10,830 for the first person. Low wages, bans on and lack of insurance coverage, and costs associated with traveling long distances for an abortion makes obtaining it that much harder.
As clinics are closing at an alarming rate, accessing abortion is becoming increasingly more difficult. 90% percent of counties in the United States don’t have an abortion provider. Six states have only one clinic in the entire state, while the number of anti-choice pregnancy centers is booming, leaving people seeking abortions without accurate medical information, support for their decision, and access to care.
