Abortion in the United States

==Public opinion==
{{update section|date=May 2022}}
{{further|Societal attitudes towards abortion}}
{{see also|United States abortion-rights movement|United States anti-abortion movement}}
[[File:Trend_from_polls_on_abortion_in_the_United_States_,_1995-2019.svg|thumb|alt=A graph of the poll results from 1995 to 2019, starting at 56% "pro-choice" and 33% "pro-life" and ending at 49% "pro-life" and 46% "pro-choice".|Trend percent of Americans self-identifying as either "pro-life" or "pro-choice"]]
Americans have been equally divided on the issue; a May 2018 [[Gallup poll]] indicated that 48% of Americans described themselves as "pro-choice" and 48% described themselves as "pro-life".<ref name="Gallup2018">{{cite web |last1=Jeffrey Jones |date=June 11, 2018 |title=U.S. Abortion Attitudes Remain Closely Divided |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/235445/abortion-attitudes-remain-closely-divided.aspx?g_source=link_NEWSV9&g_medium=TOPIC&g_campaign=item_&g_content=U.S.%2520Abortion%2520Attitudes%2520Remain%2520Closely%2520Divided |publisher=Gallup}}</ref> A July 2018 poll indicated that 64% of Americans did not want the Supreme Court to overturn ''Roe v. Wade'', while 28% did.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx | title=Gallup: Abortion | publisher=[[Gallup poll]]| date=June 22, 2007 }}</ref> The same poll found that support for abortion being generally legal was 60% during the first trimester of pregnancy, dropping to 28% in the second trimester, and 13% in the third trimester.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/235469/trimesters-key-abortion-views.aspx |title = Trimesters Still Key to U.S. Abortion Views|date = June 13, 2018}}</ref>

Support for the legalization of abortion has been consistently higher among more educated adults than less educated,{{ r | Gallop_Ed_level_2010 }} and in 2019, 70% of college graduates support abortion being legal in all or most cases, compared to 60% of those with some college, and 54% of those with a high school degree or less.{{ r | PEW_2019 }}

In January 2013, a majority of Americans believed abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to a poll by [[NBC News]] and ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''.<ref name=NBCWSJpoll>{{cite web|last=Murray |first=Mark |url=http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/21/16626932-nbcwsj-poll-majority-for-first-time-want-abortion-to-be-legal?lite |title=NBC/WSJ poll: Majority, for first time, want abortion to be legal |work=NBC News |date=January 21, 2013 |access-date=August 8, 2013}}</ref> Approximately 70% of respondents in the same poll opposed ''Roe v. Wade'' being overturned.<ref name=NBCWSJpoll/> A poll by the [[Pew Research Center]] yielded similar results.<ref name=pew>{{cite web|url=http://www.pewforum.org/Abortion/roe-v-wade-at-40.aspx|title=Roe v. Wade at 40: Most Oppose Overturning Abortion Decision|date=January 16, 2013}}</ref> Moreover, 48% of Republicans opposed overturning ''Roe'', compared to 46% who supported overturning it.<ref name=pew/>

Gallup declared in May 2010 that more Americans identifying as "pro-life" is "the new normal", while also noting that there had been no increase in opposition to abortion. It suggested that political polarization may have prompted more Republicans to call themselves "pro-life".<ref name=":2">{{cite web|last=Saad |first=Lydia |url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/128036/New-Normal-Abortion-Americans-Pro-Life.aspx |title=The New Normal on Abortion: Americans More "Pro-Life" |publisher=Gallup |date=May 14, 2010 |access-date=August 8, 2013}}</ref> The terms "pro-choice" and "pro-life" do not always reflect a political view or fall along a binary; in one [[Public Religion Research Institute]] poll, seven in ten Americans described themselves as "pro-choice" while almost two-thirds described themselves as "pro-life". The same poll found that 56% of Americans were in favor of legal access to abortion in all or some cases.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://publicreligion.org/research/2011/06/committed-to-availability-conflicted-about-morality-what-the-millennial-generation-tells-us-about-the-future-of-the-abortion-debate-and-the-culture-wars/ |publisher=Public Religion Research Institute |title=Committed to Availability, Conflicted about Morality: What the Millennial Generation Tells Us about the Future of the Abortion Debate and the Culture Wars |date=June 9, 2011}}</ref>

A 2022 study reviewing the literature and public opinion datasets found that 43.8% of survey respondents in the U.S. consistently support both elective and traumatic abortion, whereas only 14.8% consistently oppose abortion irrespective of the reason, and others differ in their degree of support for abortion depending on the circumstances of the abortion.<ref name=":02"/> 90% approve of abortion when the health of the woman is endangered, 77.4% when there is a strong chance of defects in the baby that could result from the pregnancy, and 79.5% when the pregnancy is the result of rape.<ref name=":02"/>

A January 2023 [[Gallup poll]] found that nearly 7 in 10 Americans disapprove of the country's abortion policies, the highest rate in 23 years.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Melillo |first1=Gianna |title=Americans' dissatisfaction with US abortion policies hits all-time high |url=https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/accessibility/3852554-americans-dissatisfaction-with-us-abortion-policies-hits-all-time-high/ |agency=The Hill |date=2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
! style="width:225px;"| Date of poll
! style="width:50px;"| "Pro-life"
! style="width:50px;"| "Pro-choice"
! style="width:50px;"| Mixed / neither
! style="width:100px;"| Don't know what terms mean
! style="width:50px;"| No opinion
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2016, May 4–8 || 46% || 47% || 3% || 3% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2015, May 6–10 || 44% || 50% || 3% || 2% || 1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2014, May 8–11 || 46% || 47% || 3% || 3% || –
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2013, May 2–7 || 48% || 45% || 3% || 3% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2012, May 3–6 || 50% || 41% || 4% || 3% || 3%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2011, May 5–8 || 45% || 49% || 3% || 2% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2010, March 26–28 || 46% || 45% || 4% || 2% || 3%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2009, November 20–22 || 45% || 48% || 2% || 2% || 3%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2009, May 7–10 || 51% || 42% || – || 0 || 7%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2008, September 5–7 || 43% || 51% || 2% || 1% || 3%
|}

=== By gender and age ===

[[Pew Research Center]] polling shows little change in views from 2008 to 2012; modest differences based on gender or age.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.people-press.org/2012/04/25/more-support-for-gun-rights-gay-marriage-than-in-2008-or-2004/4-25-12-9/ |title=Abortion views table 2008–2012 |publisher=Pew Research Center for the People & the Press |date=April 25, 2012 |access-date=August 8, 2013}}</ref>

The original article's table also shows by party affiliation, religion, and education level.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|- style="background:#a0d0ff;"
! rowspan="2" |
!colspan="3"|2011–2012
!colspan="3"|2009–2010
!colspan="3"|2007–2008

|- style="background:#a0d0ff;"
!Legal!!Illegal!!Don't Know!!Legal!!Illegal!!Don't Know!!Legal!!Illegal!!Don't Know
|-
!Total
|53%||41%||6%||48%||44%||8%||54%||40%||6%
|-
! !!colspan="3"| !!colspan="3"| !!colspan="3"|
|-
!Men
|51%||43%||6%||46%||46%||9%||52%||42%||6%
|-
!Women
|55%||40%||5%||50%||43%||7%||55%||39%||5%
|-
! !!colspan="3"| !!colspan="3"| !!colspan="3"|
|-
!18–29
|53%||44%||3%||50%||45%||5%||52%||45%||3%
|-
!30–49
|54%||42%||4%||49%||43%||7%||58%||38%||5%
|-
!50–64
|55%||38%||7%||49%||42%||9%||56%||38%||6%
|-
!65+
|48%||43%||9%||39%||49%||12%||45%||44%||11%
|}

=== By educational level ===
Support for the legalization of abortion is significantly higher among more educated adults than less educated, and has been consistently so for decades.<ref name=Gallop_Ed_level_2010 >{{ cite web | url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/127559/education-trumps-gender-predicting-support-abortion.aspx | title=Education Trumps Gender in Predicting Support for Abortion – College-educated adults – and especially college-educated women – most supportive | last=Saad | first=Lydia | work=[[Gallup (company)|Gallop]] | date=April 28, 2010 | access-date=January 5, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916120533/https://news.gallup.com/poll/127559/education-trumps-gender-predicting-support-abortion.aspx | archive-date=September 16, 2017 | url-status=live | quote=Educational achievement is much more important than gender in determining support for broadly legal abortion, with college-educated adults – and especially college-educated women – the most supportive. This has been the case since the 1970s.  Gallup's long-term abortion question – instituted two years after the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling gave sweeping constitutional protection to abortion – asks Americans to say whether they believe abortion should be 'legal under any circumstances,' 'legal only under certain circumstances,' or 'illegal in all circumstances.'}}</ref> In 2019, 70% of college graduates support abortion being legal in all or most cases, as well as 60% of those with some college education, compared to 54% of those with a high school degree or less.<ref name=PEW_2019 >{{ cite web | url=https://www.pewforum.org/fact-sheet/public-opinion-on-abortion/ | title=Public Opinion on Abortion – Views on abortion, 1995–2019 | work=[[Pew Research Center]] | date=August 29, 2019 | access-date=January 5, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190919172116/https://www.pewforum.org/fact-sheet/public-opinion-on-abortion/ | archive-date=September 19, 2019 | url-status=live | quote=Seven-in-ten college graduates (70%) say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, as do 60% of those with some college education. A slim majority of those with a high school degree or less education share this opinion: 54% say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 44% say it should be illegal in all or most cases.}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|- style="background:#a0d0ff;"
!colspan="3"|2019
|-
!Educational attainment!!Legal in all or most cases!!Illegal in all or most cases
|-
|College grad or more||70%||30%
|-
|Some college||60%||39%
|-
|High school or less||54%||44%
|-
|}

=== By gender, party, and region ===
A January 2003 [[CBS News]]/''[[The New York Times]]'' poll examined whether Americans thought abortion should be legal or not, and found variations in opinion which depended upon [[List of political parties in the United States|party affiliation]] and the region of the country.<ref name=cbspoll>"[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/22/opinion/polls/main537570.shtml Poll: Strong Support For Abortion Rights]" (January 22, 2003). ''CBS News''. Retrieved January 11, 2007.</ref> The [[margin of error]] is +/– 4% for questions answered of the entire sample (overall figures) and may be higher for questions asked of subgroups (all other figures).<ref name=cbspoll/>
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|- style="background:#a0d0ff;"
!|Group||Generally available!!Available, but with stricter limits than now!!Not permitted
|-
|width=120|Women||37%||37%||24%
|-
|width=120|Men||40%||40%||20%
|-
| colspan="4" |
|-
|width=120|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]]||43%||35%||21%
|-
|width=120|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]]||29%||41%||28%
|-
|width=120|[[Independent (voter)|Independents]]||42%||38%||18%
|-
| colspan="4" |
|-
|width=120|[[Northeastern United States|Northeasterners]]||48%||31%||19%
|-
|width=120|[[Midwestern United States|Midwesterners]]||34%||40%||25%
|-
|width=120|[[Southern United States|Southerners]]||33%||41%||25%
|-
|width=120|[[Western United States|Westerners]]||43%||40%||16%
|-
| colspan="4" |
|-
| width="120" |''Overall''||''39%''||''38%''||''22%''
|}

===By trimester of pregnancy===
<!-- This section is linked from [[Roe v. Wade]] -->
A [[CNN]]/''[[USA Today]]''/[[Gallup poll]] in January 2003 asked about the legality of abortion by [[wikt:trimester|trimester]], using the question, "Do you think abortion should generally be legal or generally illegal during each of the following stages of pregnancy?"<ref name="pollingreport">''[http://www.pollingreport.com/abortion.htm The Polling Report].'' (2008). Retrieved September 10, 2008.</ref> This same question was also asked by Gallup in March 2000 and July 1996.<ref name="gallup1">{{cite web |url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx |title=Abortion |access-date=May 13, 2010 |work= Gallup Poll |publisher=Gallup.com |page=2 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100513041002/http://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/Abortion.aspx| archive-date= May 13, 2010 | url-status= live|date=June 22, 2007 }}</ref><ref>Saad, "[http://www.gallup.com/poll/3016/Americans-Walk-Middle-Road-Abortion.aspx Americans Walk the Middle Road on Abortion]", The Gallup Poll Monthly (April 2000); {{cite web |url=http://www.frtl.org/abortion/gallup+poll+topics.htm |title=Gallup Poll Topics |access-date=August 25, 2016  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603181326/http://www.frtl.org/abortion/gallup%20poll%20topics.htm |archive-date=June 3, 2008 }} from Florida Right to Life. Retrieved January 12, 2007.</ref> Polls indicates general support of legal abortion during the first trimester, although support drops dramatically for abortion during the second and third trimester.

Since the 2011 poll, support for legal abortion during the first trimester has declined. 
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|- style="background:#a0d0ff;"
|
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|2018 Poll
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|2012 Poll
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|2011 Poll
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|2003 Poll
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|2000 Poll
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|1996 Poll
|-
| || Legal|| Illegal || Legal || Illegal || Legal || Illegal
| Legal|| Illegal || Legal || Illegal || Legal || Illegal
|-
| First trimester || 60% || 34% || 61% || 31% || 62%|| 29% || 66%|| 35% || 66% || 31%|| 64%|| 30%
|-
| Second trimester|| 28%|| 65%|| 27%|| 64%|| 24%|| 71% || 25%|| 68% || 24% || 69%|| 26%|| 65%
|-
| Third trimester || 13%|| 81%|| 14%|| 80%|| 10%|| 86% || 10%|| 84% || 8% || 86%|| 13%|| 82%
|}

===By circumstance or reasons===
According to Gallup's long-time polling on abortion, the majority of Americans are neither strictly "pro-life" or "pro-choice"; it depends upon the circumstances of the pregnancy. Gallup polling from 1996 to 2021 consistently reveals that when asked the question, "Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?", Americans repeatedly answer "legal only under certain circumstances". According to the poll, in any given year 48–57% say legal only under certain circumstances, 21–34% say legal under any circumstances, and 13–19% illegal in all circumstances, with 1–7% having no opinion.<ref name="gallup1"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
! style="width:125px;"|
! style="width:100px;"| Legal under any circumstances
! style="width:100px;"| Legal only under certain circumstances
! style="width:100px;"| Illegal in all circumstances
! style="width:100px;"| No opinion
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2021 May 3–18 || 32% || 48% || 19% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2020 May 1–13 || 29% || 50% || 20% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2019 May 1–12 || 25% || 53% || 21% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2018 May 1–10 || 29% || 50% || 18% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2017 May 3–7 || 29% || 50% || 18% || 3%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2016 May 4–8 || 29% || 50% || 19% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2015 May 6–10 || 29% || 51% || 19% || 1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2014 May 8–11 || 28% || 50% || 21% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2013 May 2–7 || 26% || 52% || 20% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2012 Dec 27–30 || 28% || 52% || 18% || 3%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2012 May 3–6 || 25% || 52% || 20% || 3%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2011 Jul 15–17 || 26% || 51% || 20% || 3%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2011 June 9–12 || 26% || 52% || 21% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2011 May 5–8 || 27% || 49% || 22% || 3%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2009 Jul 17–19 || 21% || 57% || 18% || 4%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2009 May 7–10 || 22% || 53% || 23% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2008 May 8–11 || 28% || 54% || 18% || 2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2007 May 10–13 || 26% || 55% || 17% || 1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2006 May 8–11 || 30% || 53% || 15% || 2%
|}

According to the aforementioned poll,<ref name="gallup1"/> Americans differ drastically based upon situation of the pregnancy, suggesting they do not support unconditional abortions. Based on two separate polls taken May 19–21, 2003, of 505 and 509 respondents respectively, Americans stated their approval for abortion under these various circumstances:

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
! Poll Criteria !! Total !! Poll A !! Poll B
|-
| When the woman's life is endangered || 78% || 82% || 75%
|-
| When the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest || 65% || 72% || 59%
|-
| When the child would be born with a life-threatening illness || 54% || 60% || 48%
|-
| When the child would be born mentally disabled || 44% || 50% || 38%
|-
| When the woman does not want the child for any reason || 32% || 41% || 24%
|}

Another separate trio of polls taken by Gallup in 2003, 2000, and 1996,<ref name="gallup1"/> revealed public support for abortion as follows for the given criteria:

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
! Poll criteria !! 2003 Poll !! 2000 Poll !! 1996 Poll
|-
| When the woman's life is endangered || 85% || 84% || 88%
|-
| When the woman's physical health is endangered || 77% || 81% || 82%
|-
| When the pregnancy was caused by rape or incest || 76% || 78% || 77%
|-
| When the woman's mental health is endangered || 63% || 64% || 66%
|-
| When there is evidence that the baby may be physically impaired || 56% || 53% || 53%
|-
| When there is evidence that the baby may be mentally impaired || 55% || 53% || 54%
|-
| When the woman or family cannot afford to raise the child || 35% || 34% || 32%
|}

Gallup furthermore established public support for many issues supported by the anti-abortion community and opposed by the abortion rights community:<ref name="gallup1"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
! Legislation !! 2011 Poll !! 2003 Poll !! 2000 Poll !! 1996 Poll
|-
| A law requiring doctors to inform patients about [[alternatives to abortion]] before performing the procedure || || 88% || 86% || 86%
|-
| A law requiring women seeking abortions to wait 24 hours before having the procedure done || 69% || 78% || 74% || 73%
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
! Legislation !! 2005 Poll !! 2003 Poll !! 1996 Poll !! 1992 Poll
|-
| A law requiring women under 18 to get parental consent for any abortion || 69% || 73% || 74% || 70%
|-
| A law requiring that the husband of a married woman be notified if she decides to have an abortion || 64% || 72% || 70% || 73%
|}

An October 2007 [[CBS News]] poll explored under what circumstances Americans believe abortion should be allowed, asking the question, "What is your personal feeling about abortion?" The results were as follows:<ref name="pollingreport" />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|- style="background:#a0d0ff;"
!|Permitted in all cases!!Permitted, but subject to greater restrictions than it is now!!Only in cases such as rape, incest, or to save the woman's life!!Only permitted to save the woman's life||Never||Unsure
|-
|width=120| 26%||16%||34%||16%||4%||4%
|}

===Additional polls===
[[File:USA Gallup abortion opinion poll.jpg|thumb|alt=A graph showing poll results from 1975 to 2008. The results are "legal only under certain circumstances" (varying between 50% and 60%), "legal under any circumstances" (varying between 20% and 30%), "illegal in all circumstances" (varying between 10% and 20%), and "no opinion" (under 5%).|Results of Gallup opinion poll in the U.S. since 1975, legal restriction of abortion<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/Abortion.aspx |title=Abortion |publisher=Gallup.com |date= June 22, 2007|access-date=August 8, 2013}}</ref>]]
* A June 2000 ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' survey found that, although 57% of polltakers considered abortion to be murder, half of that 57% believed in allowing women access to abortion. The survey also found that, overall, 65% of respondents did not believe abortion should be legal after the first trimester, including 72% of women and 58% of men. Further, the survey found that 85% of Americans polled supported abortion in cases of risk to a woman's physical health, 54% if the woman's mental health was at risk, and 66% if a congenital abnormality was detected in the fetus.<ref>Rubin, Allisa J. (June 18, 2000). "[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/55304043.html?dids=55304043:55304043&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+18%2C+2000&author=ALISSA+J.+RUBIN&pub=Los+Angeles&edition=&startpage=1&desc=Americans+Narrowing+Support+for+Abortion Americans Narrowing Support for Abortion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120162808/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/55304043.html?dids=55304043:55304043&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jun+18%2C+2000&author=ALISSA+J.+RUBIN&pub=Los+Angeles&edition=&startpage=1&desc=Americans+Narrowing+Support+for+Abortion |date=January 20, 2013 }}." ''Los Angeles Times''. Retrieved January 11, 2007.</ref>
* A July 2002 Public Agenda poll found that 44% of men and 42% of women thought that "abortion should be generally available to those who want it", 34% of men and 35% of women thought that "abortion should be available, but under stricter than limits it is now", and 21% of men and 22% of women thought that "abortion should not be permitted".<ref name="publicagenda1" />
* A January 2003 [[ABC News]]/''[[The Washington Post]]'' poll also examined attitudes towards abortion by gender. In answer to the question, "On the subject of abortion, do you think abortion should be legal in all cases, legal in most cases, illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases?", 25% of women responded that it should be legal in "all cases", 33% that it should be legal in "most cases", 23% that it should be illegal in "most cases", and 17% that it should be illegal in "all cases". 20% of men thought it should be legal in "all cases", 34% legal in "most cases", 27% illegal in "most cases", and 17% illegal in "all cases".<ref name="publicagenda1">Public Agenda Online. (2006). [http://www.publicagendaarchives.org/charts/men-and-women-hold-similar-views-legality-abortion Men and women hold similar views on the legality of abortion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150506151159/http://www.publicagendaarchives.org/charts/men-and-women-hold-similar-views-legality-abortion |date=May 6, 2015 }}</ref>
* Most Fox News viewers favor both parental notification as well as parental consent, when a minor seeks an abortion. A [[Fox News]] poll in 2005 found that 78% of people favor a notification requirement, and 72% favor a consent requirement.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/projects/pdf/poll_042705.pdf Fox News/Opinion Dynamics Poll]. April 25–26, 2005: "Do you think a female under age 18 should be required by state law to notify at least one parent or guardian before having an abortion?" 78% yes, 17% no. "Do you think a female under age 18 should be required by state law to get permission or consent from at least one parent or guardian before having an abortion?" 72% yes, 22% no.</ref>
* An April 2006 [[Harris Insights & Analytics|Harris]] poll on ''Roe v. Wade'', asked, "In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that states' laws which made it illegal for a woman to have an abortion up to three months of pregnancy were unconstitutional, and that the decision on whether a woman should have an abortion up to three months of pregnancy should be left to the woman and her doctor to decide. In general, do you favor or oppose this part of the U.S. Supreme Court decision making abortions up to three months of pregnancy legal?", to which 49% of respondents indicated favor while 47% indicated opposition. The Harris organization has concluded from this poll that, "49 percent now support Roe vs. Wade".<ref>Harris Interactive, (May 4, 2006). "[http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=659 Support for Roe vs. Wade Declines to Lowest Level Ever] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208091149/http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=659 |date=December 8, 2006 }}." Retrieved January 4, 2007." Pro-life activists have disputed whether the Harris poll question is a valid measure of public opinion about Roe's overall decision, because the question focuses only on the first three months of pregnancy." See Franz, Wanda. [http://www.nrlc.org/news/2007/NRL06/PresidentColumn.html "The Continuing Confusion About Roe v. Wade"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512081340/http://www.nrlc.org/news/2007/NRL06/PresidentColumn.html |date=May 12, 2008 }}, ''NRL News'' (June 2007). See also Adamek, Raymond. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2748305 "Abortion Polls"], ''[[Public Opinion Quarterly]]'', Vol. 42, No. 3 (Autumn, 1978), pp. 411–413.</ref>
* Two polls were released in May 2007 asking Americans "With respect to the abortion issue, would you consider yourself to be pro-choice or pro-life?" May 4–6, a CNN poll found 45% said "pro-choice" and 50% said pro-life.<ref>[http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/images/05/09/rel6e.pdf CNN Opinion Research Poll], (May 9, 2007). Retrieved May 27, 2007.</ref> Within the following week, a Gallup poll found 50% responding "pro-choice" and 44% pro-life.<ref>[http://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/Abortion.aspx "Abortion"] ''The Gallup Poll'' (May 21, 2007) Retrieved May 28, 2007.</ref>
* In 2011, a poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 43% of respondents identified themselves as both "pro-life" and "pro-choice".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publicreligion.org/2013/01/moving-beyond-pro-choice-and-pro-life/|title=Moving Beyond "Pro-Choice" and "Pro-Life" – PRRI|date=January 10, 2013 |access-date=January 25, 2017}}</ref>

===Intact dilation and extraction===
{{further|Intact dilation and extraction}}
{{see also|Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act}}
In 2003, the U.S. Congress outlawed intact dilation and extraction when it passed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. A [[Rasmussen Reports]] poll four days after the Supreme Court's opinion in ''[[Gonzales v. Carhart]]'' found that 40% of respondents "knew the ruling allowed states to place some restrictions on specific abortion procedures." Of those who knew of the decision, 56% agreed with the decision and 32% were opposed.<ref>[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2007/April%20Dailies/partialBirthAbortion.htm Most Who Know of Decision Agree With Supreme Court on Partial Birth Abortion] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427034834/http://rasmussenreports.com/2007/April%20Dailies/partialBirthAbortion.htm |date=April 27, 2007 }} ''Rasmussen Reports''. April 22, 2007. Retrieved on April 26, 2007</ref> An ABC poll from 2003 found that 62% of respondents thought "partial-birth abortion" should be illegal; a similar number of respondents wanted an exception "if it would prevent a serious threat to the woman's health".<!--<ref>[http://www.pollingreport.com/abortion.htm Abortion and Birth Control]. ''PollingReports.com'.' Retrieved April 26, 2007.</ref>-->

Gallup has repeatedly queried the American public on this issue.<ref name="gallup1"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
! Legislation !! 2011 !! 2003 !! 2000 !! 2000 !! 2000 !! 1999 !! 1998 !! 1997 !! 1996
|-
| A law that would make it illegal to perform a specific abortion procedure conducted in the last six months, or second and/or third trimester of pregnancy, known by some opponents as a partial birth abortion, except in cases necessary to save the life of the mother || 64% || 70% || 63% || 66% || 64% || 61% || 61% || 55% || 57%
|}