North Carolina Abortion Statistics
State abortion statistics from the leading public and private sources.
Collective state abortion statistics are gathered privately by the Guttmacher Institute and federally by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Because of reporting lag, their most recent data can be 2-3 years old. In most cases, state-level abortion facts are more current than the numbers reported by Guttmacher or the CDC. Guttmacher’s abortion statistics are estimates built on surveys of all known and suspected abortion providers; the CDC totals are made up of the actual abortion counts reported to the state health department by each abortion facility.
To learn more, visit: Prenatal Development, Abortion Procedures or Abortion Pictures
To read abortion stories from North Carolina, visit: Abortion Stories (North Carolina)
STATE-LEVEL DATA
Total Abortions (2022): 40,037
The North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics reports that 40,037 abortions took place in North Carolina during 2022. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on North Carolina residents in other states.
GUTTMACHER DATA
Estimated Total Abortions (2023): 45,780
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that approximately 45,780 abortions took place in North Carolina during 2023. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on North Carolina residents in other states. The table below compares North Carolina abortion totals by selected year.
| 2023 | 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45,780 | 31,850 | 29,500 | 29,960 | 28,600 | 33,140 | 34,500 |
Estimated Abortion Percentage (2023): 28%
In 2023, an estimated 28% of pregnancies in North Carolina ended in abortion. This number does not take into account miscarriages. It was arrived at by dividing Guttmacher's abortion estimate by the sum total of live births—as reported by the CDC—and estimated abortions.
Estimated Abortion Rate* (2023): 21.3
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that the 2023 abortion rate for North Carolina was 21.3. The 2023 abortion rate across the entire United States was 15.6. The table below compares North Carolina abortion rates by selected year.
| 2023 | 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC | 21.3 | 15.3 | 14.6 | 15.1 | 14.6 | 17.5 | 18.8 |
| U.S. | 15.6 | 14.4 | 13.5 | 14.6 | 16.9 | 19.4 | 19.4 |
*The abortion rate is the number of abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years.
Percentage of All U.S. Abortions (2023): 4.4%
In 2023, approximately 4.4% of all U.S. abortions occurred in North Carolina.
Abortion Clinic Density: 0.7
Based on the 2020 counts, there are 0.7 abortion clinics for every 100,000 women of reproductive age (15-44) in North Carolina. Across the entire United States there are 1.2 abortion clinics for every 100,000 women of reproductive age.
Abortion Clinics in North Carolina (2020): 16
In 2020, the Guttmacher Institute reports that there were 16 abortion clinics in North Carolina and 26 facilities that performed abortion. The table below compares total North Carolina abortion facilities by selected year.
| 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 26 | 37 | 36 | 31 | 37 |
State Abortion Restrictions (2024):
- An abortion cannot be performed after 12 weeks.
- A woman must receive state-directed counseling at least 24 hours before an abortion takes place.
- Medicaid does not provide coverage for abortion.
- The parent of a minor must consent before an abortion can take place.
- Abortion clinics must meet the same structural standards as other ambulatory surgical centers.
SOURCE: https://states.guttmacher.org/policies/north-carolina/abortion-policies
CDC DATA
Total Abortions (2021): 32,454
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 32,454 abortions took place in North Carolina during 2021. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on North Carolina residents in other states. The table below compares North Carolina abortion totals by year.
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30,004 | 28,450 | 27,581 | 27,183 | 27,138 | 27,631 | 24,605 | 22,820 | 24,439 | 26,192 |
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30,004 | 28,450 | 27,581 | 27,183 | 27,138 |
| 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27,631 | 24,605 | 22,820 | 24,439 | 26,192 |
Abortion Percentage (2021): 21.2%
In 2021, 21.2% of pregnancies in North Carolina ended in abortion. This number does not take into account miscarriages. It was arrived at by dividing the state abortion ratio by the sum of the abortion ratio plus 1,000. The abortion ratio is the number of abortions that occurred per 1,000 lives births. The table below compares North Carolina abortion percentages by year.
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC | 20.4% | 19.4% | 18.9% | 18.4% | 18.4% | 18.6% | 16.9% | 16.1% | 17% | 18% |
| U.S.* | 16.9% | 16.5% | 15.9% | 15.6% | 15.7% | 15.8% | 16.1% | 16.7% | 17% | 18% |
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC | 20.4% | 19.4% | 18.9% | 18.4% | 18.4% |
| U.S.* | 16.9% | 16.5% | 15.9% | 15.6% | 15.7% |
| 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC | 18.6% | 16.9% | 16.1% | 17% | 18% |
| U.S.* | 15.8% | 16.1% | 16.7% | 17% | 18% |
Out-of-State Abortion Percentage (2021): 34%
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 34% of the abortions that took place in North Carolina were performed on out-of-state residents.
*U.S. averages are limited to reporting districts.
Parent Page:
- State Abortion Statistics: Comparative state abortion stats by rank, total, percentage, and clinics.
Related Entries:
- U.S. Abortion Statistics: Facts and figures relating to the frequency of abortion in the United States.
- U.S. Abortion Law: An overview of the history and legality of abortion in the United States.
- U.S. Abortion History: The 200-year history of abortion in America goes back well before 1973.
For Further Study:
- The Remarkably High Cost of Cheap Sex (Abort73 Blog)
- Does Poverty Lead to Abortion, or Does Abortion Lead to Poverty? (Abort73 Blog)
- The Law Can’t Make Abortion Safe; Birth Control Can’t Make Abortion Rare (Abort73 Blog)
- It’s All the Same: Why Early and Late-Term Abortion are Moral Equivalents (Abort73 Blog)
- The Moral Dilemma of Repeat Abortion (Abort73 Blog)
- Who is Most at Risk to Have an Abortion? (Abort73 Blog)
- Marriage, Contraception, and Unplanned Pregnancy (Abort73 Blog)
