United States & Abortion

All States in the USA offer legal abortions for any reason. Patients do not have to offer explanation for their choice. However, not all areas in the United States have access to abortion clinics.

1973 the United States Supreme court, in the case of Roe vs. Wade, declared that declared most existing state abortion laws unconstitutional. This decision ruled out any legislative interference in the first trimester of pregnancy and put limits on what restrictions could be passed on abortions in later stages of pregnancy.

The most commonly reported reasons for having an abortion in the US are not wanting a child at that time due to a desire to avoid single parenthood/problems in the relationship, immaturity, economic reasons.

United States abortion rates are declining and have reached their lowest point since the 1970's largely because rates of unintended pregnancy have declined as the result of improved contraceptive use (particularly among teenagers).

Yet many women in this country still lack access to affordable contraceptives. In stark contrast to women in developed countries that have universal health insurance, many American women do not have either public or private insurance coverage for contraceptives and cannot afford the high up-front costs.

When Women Have Abortions in Weeks

Legalization has enabled women to obtain earlier, safer abortions. Today, more than half of abortions in this country occur within the first eight weeks of gestation, three-quarters within 12 weeks and almost 99% within 20 weeks

Source: Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1998

There is serious opposition to abortion in the United States from the Catholic and other Christian groups as well as "Pro-Life" activists. This opposition has been expressed in picketing and blockading abortion clinics, traditional forms of non violent protest, however, some extremists have resorted to violence against women, doctors and the bombing of abortion clinics.

The current President of the United States George W. Bush is firmly anti-abortion as is 88% of the Republican party who were able to reinstate a global gag rule stating that United States funding was not to be used for any form of abortion or abortion education. This policy was first instated by President Regan in 1984 and rescinded in 1993 when President Clinton but was reinstated in 1999 under pressure from a Republican Congress.