October 25, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States appear satisfied with their current guidelines for pregnancy termination, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN. 54 per cent of respondents believe abortion should be legal under certain circumstances, up four points since September 2006.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many adults in the United States appear satisfied with their current guidelines for pregnancy termination, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN. 54 per cent of respondents believe abortion should be legal under certain circumstances, up four points since September 2006.

Conversely, 23 per cent of respondents support pregnancy termination under any circumstances, while 22 per cent want to outlaw abortion.

When asked about their personal views on the subject, 60 per cent of respondents say they believe having an abortion is wrong, while 36 per cent disagree.

A Supreme Court ruling in 1973 gave American women the right to an abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy, and regulated the procedure during the second trimester "in ways that are reasonably related to maternal health." In the third trimester, a state can choose to proscribe abortion, except when necessary "for the preservation of the life or health of the mother."

In April, a Supreme Court ruling effectively banned partial birth abortion—a procedure performed in the late-term of pregnancy when the fetus can survive outside the womb—without making an exception for the health of the mother.

Earlier this month, Democratic Illinois senator Barack Obama—who is seeking the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2008—discussed his views on the topic, saying, "I think that the American people struggle with two principles: There’s the principle that a fetus is not just an appendage, it’s potential life. I think people recognize that there’s a moral element to that. They also believe that women should have some control over their bodies and themselves and there is a privacy element to making those decisions. (...) One area where I think we should have significant agreement is on the idea of reducing unwanted pregnancies because if we can reduce unwanted pregnancies, then it’s much less likely that people resort to abortion."

Polling Data

Do you think abortion should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances, or illegal in all circumstances?

	Oct. 2007	Sept. 2006
Legal under any circumstances	23%	24%
Legal only under certain circumstances	54%	50%
Illegal in all circumstances	22%	24%
Unsure	1%	2%

Regardless of whether you think abortion should be allowed or not, do you personally believe having an abortion is wrong?

 

Yes	60%
No	36%
Unsure	4%

Source: Opinion Research Corporation / CNN
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,212 American adults, conducted from Oct. 12 to Oct. 14, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.