Suffolk Poll: Most Voters Not Informed on Abortion Facts

Most Americans have deeply held opinions on abortion rights, but the majority are not well informed about how many abortions take place in the United States each year or how early in pregnancy the procedure is most often performed, according to a new Suffolk University/USA TODAY national poll of registered voters.  

Presented with a multiple-choice question, just 26% of likely voters correctly answered that fewer than one million abortions are performed each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. About 41% of respondents incorrectly chose “between 1-5 million,” and 18% said “more than 5 million.” Another 15% were undecided. 

Most respondents also did not know that about 90% of abortions in the United States are performed during the first three months of pregnancy, the CDC has reported. Less than half (47%) of respondents correctly answered that question, while a majority had different answers, including 24% who incorrectly answered that only about half of abortions take place in the first trimester. Another 16% guessed about a third, and 13% were unsure. 

Still, poll respondents had strong opinions on abortion, and the majority said they do not want to see the Supreme Court overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in the coming days.

Exactly 61% oppose overturning Roe v. Wade, with 28% supporting the dissolution of the decision. And 63% of voters said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 30% said it should be illegal in all or most cases.  

An overwhelming 79% oppose Congress passing a law banning abortion nationwide. Just 16% of respondents support a national ban, with 5% undecided.