Pew Research: Majority of Americans Say Medication Abortion Should Be Legal

A recent survey conducted by Pew Research Center found that more Americans believe medication abortion should be legal than illegal in their state, as the future of abortion pills faces legal uncertainties. The survey, conducted before conflicting court rulings on medication abortion in Texas and Washington state, revealed that 53% of adults believe medication abortion should be legal, while only 22% think it should be illegal, with 24% being unsure.

According to the CDC and the Guttmacher Institute, medication abortion accounts for 53% of facility-based abortions in the US.

Partisan divides were evident in the survey, with 73% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents supporting the legality of medication abortion in their state, compared to only 35% of Republicans and GOP leaners. There were also ideological differences within parties, with conservative Republicans more likely to oppose medication abortion while liberal Democrats were more likely to support it.

Age and gender also played a role in the respondents' views, with younger adults and women under 30 being more supportive of the legality of medication abortion. Two-thirds (66%) of adults under 30 believed medication abortion should be legal, compared to half of adults aged 30 and older. Additionally, 71% of women under 30 supported the legality of medication abortion, while only 12% believed it should be illegal.

Race and ethnicity also influenced views on medication abortion, with Hispanic adults being more divided compared to other racial/ethnic groups. While majorities of White, Black, and Asian adults supported the legality of medication abortion, only 46% of Hispanic adults believed it should be legal, while 25% thought it should be illegal, and 29% were unsure.

Religion also played a role in respondents' views, with White evangelical Protestants being more likely to oppose the legality of medication abortion compared to other religious groups. Catholics were more supportive of medication abortion being legal, with 46% supporting it, while the religiously unaffiliated had the highest level of support at 74%.

The survey also revealed that awareness of medication abortion varied among respondents, with 22% saying they had heard a lot about it, 56% hearing a little, and 21% hearing nothing at all. Among those who had heard a lot about it, 72% believed medication abortion should be legal, compared to 55% of those who heard a little, and 30% of those who heard nothing at all.

The groups with the highest support for medication abortion:

66% adults under 30
60% men under 30
71% women under 30
73% Democrats
59% Asians
74% Religiously unaffiliated
54% Black Protestants

It is interesting to note that older Americans who are not affected by pregnancy had the lowest support for medication abortion:

48% of women aged 50-64
45% of men aged 50-64

What do you think?

Click here to read the full report and review the graphs.