At a glance
Find frequently asked questions, data, reports, and findings from CDC's Abortion Surveillance System.

Last updated: November 27, 2024
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Reproductive Health

When did CDC abortion surveillance start?

CDC began abortion surveillance in 1969 to document the number and characteristics of women obtaining legal induced abortions.

Many states and jurisdictions conduct their own abortion surveillance.
This information is voluntarily reported as aggregate data to CDC.
CDC's surveillance system compiles information from states and jurisdictions on legal induced abortions.

How does CDC define abortion?

For surveillance purposes, legal induced abortion is defined as:

"An intervention performed within the limits of state and jurisdiction law by a licensed clinician (for instance, a physician, nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, physician assistant) intended to terminate a suspected or known intrauterine pregnancy and that does not result in a live birth."

Exclusions

This definition explicitly excludes management of:
- Intrauterine fetal death
- Early pregnancy failure or loss
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Retained products of conception

Method Reporting

Most states and jurisdictions that collect abortion data report whether an abortion was performed by:
- Medication, or
- Surgery

Are states and jurisdictions required to report their abortion data to CDC?

No. Reporting is entirely voluntary.

States and jurisdictions voluntarily submit aggregate data to CDC for inclusion in the annual Abortion Surveillance report.
CDC's Division of Reproductive Health prepares surveillance reports as data become available.
There is no federal requirement for data submission or reporting.

States and jurisdictions needing guidance on abortion surveillance may contact CDC through the CDC-INFO portal.

How is the report prepared and formatted?

The Abortion Surveillance report is prepared based on data voluntarily provided by states and jurisdictions for a given calendar year.

Preparation Process

CDC receives voluntarily submitted aggregate data from participating states and jurisdictions
Staff perform statistical analyses to produce:
Data tables
Figures and visualizations
Narrative text describing methods, findings, and trends
The report is published as data become available and undergo quality review

For detailed information on report compilation, please refer to the abstract and methods section of the most recent Abortion Surveillance report.

How is the Abortion Surveillance Report used?

This report serves multiple purposes in public health practice and research, including:

Program Evaluation

Evaluate programs aimed at promoting equitable access to patient-centered, quality contraceptive services in the United States to reduce unintended pregnancies

Clinical Practice Assessment

Assess changes in clinical practice patterns related to abortion over time, such as:
Shifts in abortion methods (medication vs. procedural)
Changes in gestational age at the time of abortion

Pregnancy Estimation

Estimate the total number of pregnancies in the United States by combining:
Number of pregnancies ending in abortion
Birth data from vital statistics
Estimates of pregnancy loss

Are data available for my own analysis?

Available Data

In addition to data published in the annual Abortion Surveillance report, CDC provides:
- Abortions distributed by area of residence
- Abortions distributed by area of clinical service

These datasets are consistent with data reported to CDC for each year's Abortion Surveillance report.

Limitations

No additional individual-level or raw data are available for public use due to privacy and confidentiality protections.
Aggregate data are provided to prevent identification of individuals or small populations.

Alternative Resources

For additional abortion-related research and data, consider searching:
- MEDLINE/PubMed: The National Library of Medicine's bibliographic database for biomedical literature
- MedlinePlus: A consumer health information resource from the National Library of Medicine

Related Resources

Data and Statistics

Educational Content

For Health Care Providers

Adolescent Reproductive Health Guidelines
Unintended Pregnancy Prevention Resources

Public Health Tools

Emergency Preparedness and Response Resources
Teen Pregnancy Prevention Projects

About CDC's Division of Reproductive Health

CDC's Division of Reproductive Health focuses on issues related to:
- Reproductive health across the lifespan
- Maternal health and safety
- Infant health outcomes
- Prevention of unintended pregnancy
- Reduction of reproductive health disparities

The Division conducts surveillance, research, and program evaluation to inform public health practice and policy.

This content is adapted from the official CDC website. For the most current information, please visit cdc.gov/reproductivehealth.