United States: support for abortion 2023

The global favorability toward the legalization of abortion in the United States decreased by nine percentage points between 2014 and 2023. In 2023, 55 percent of respondents believed that abortion should be permitted, either in all cases or most cases. In 2022, the phrasing was changed, indicating that 54 percent of respondents believed abortion should be legal in either all or some cases.

Favorability toward legalization of abortion in the United States from 2014 to 2023

Characteristic	Share of respondents
2023	55%
2022*	54%
2021	66%
2020	64%
2019	68%
2018	68%
2017	68%
2016	69%
2015	68%
2014	64%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

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Release date

August 2023

More information

Region

United States

Survey time period

2014 to 2023

Number of respondents

1,000 respondents

Age group

16-74 years

Supplementary notes

*In 2022, the phrasing was changed

From 2014 to 2021, favorability was phrased as "permitted whenever a woman decides she wants one" or "permitted in certrain circumstances, such as when a woman has been raped"
From 2022 onwards, favorability was phrased as "legal in all cases" or "legal in most cases"

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