Calculating abortion statistics in the United States is a complex process, highly influenced by varied reporting methods, legislative changes, and shifts in healthcare access. Arriving at a precise, single “per day” figure is challenging because no single government or research body collects a definitive, mandatory national count. The reported figures can differ significantly depending on the source’s methodology and the specific year of data collection. Understanding these statistics requires looking at the total annual count and the context provided by different research organizations.
The Current Daily Estimate
Based on the most comprehensive data available, the annual number of abortions in the U.S. reached approximately 930,160 in 2020. This figure, collected by a leading research organization, provides the most widely accepted baseline before the significant policy changes that occurred in 2022. Dividing this annual total by 365 days yields an estimated daily average of about 2,548 abortions performed across the country. More recent estimates indicate a subsequent increase, with clinician-provided abortions estimated to be over 1,000,000 annually in 2024, which translates to a higher daily average.
Primary Sources of Abortion Data
Two main entities are responsible for documenting abortion statistics in the United States: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute. The figures reported by these organizations often differ due to fundamental differences in their collection methods. The CDC compiles data through a voluntary surveillance system, relying on reports submitted by the central health agencies of participating states. Because reporting is voluntary, key states, most notably California, frequently do not submit data, resulting in an incomplete national total in CDC reports. Conversely, the Guttmacher Institute conducts a direct, comprehensive survey of all known abortion providers, including clinics, hospitals, and physician offices. For this reason, Guttmacher figures are consistently higher and are often cited as the more representative estimate of the total number of abortions performed annually.
Tracking Historical Changes and Trends
The frequency of abortions in the U.S. has experienced significant shifts over the last several decades, following a long-term downward trend since the 1980s. The abortion rate reached its highest point in the early 1980s, peaking around 1980 and 1981 at approximately 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age. The total number of abortions reached its maximum later, in 1990, at an estimated 1.6 million annually, before beginning a steady decline.
This prolonged decrease is often attributed to broader access and more consistent use of effective contraception, particularly long-acting reversible contraceptives. Changes in state-level legislation, such as mandatory waiting periods and parental involvement laws, have also played a role. However, the most recent data available before 2022 indicated a slight increase in the abortion rate, reversing the previous multi-year pattern.
Contextualizing the Data: State Variations and Ratios
The national average figure can mask significant variations in abortion frequency when examining data at the state level. Geographic disparities mean some states have very high abortion rates, while others report rates close to zero. The highest rates are often observed in areas with fewer restrictive laws and greater access to clinics.
Statisticians use specific metrics to provide a more meaningful context beyond the raw count, such as the abortion rate and the abortion ratio. The abortion rate is defined as the number of abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44. The abortion ratio compares the number of abortions to the number of live births, often expressed per 1,000 live births.
State-level data also show the influence of out-of-state travel, particularly as legal restrictions change. States with fewer restrictions often see a higher number of abortions performed, as people from more restrictive neighboring states travel to access care. This movement complicates the data, as a state’s rate of abortions performed within its borders may differ substantially from the rate of abortions obtained by its own residents.