District of Columbia 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 the District of Columbia, visit: Abortion Stories (District of Columbia)
GUTTMACHER DATA
Estimated Total Abortions (2023): 9,170
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that approximately 9,170 abortions took place in the District of Columbia during 2023. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on District of Columbia residents in other states. The table below compares District of Columbia abortion totals by selected year.
| 2023 | 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9,170 | 9,410 | 5,630 | 5,820 | 4,750 | 4,450 | 7,230 |
Estimated Abortion Percentage (2023): 54%
In 2023, an estimated 54% of pregnancies in the District of Columbia 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): 50
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that the 2023 abortion rate for the District of Columbia was 50. The 2023 abortion rate across the entire United States was 15.6. The table below compares District of Columbia abortion rates by selected year.
| 2023 | 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC | 50 | 48.9 | 30.2 | 32.7 | 28.5 | 29.9 | 54.2 |
| 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): 0.9%
In 2023, approximately 0.9% of all U.S. abortions occurred in the District of Columbia.
Abortion Clinic Density: 2.7
Based on the 2020 counts, there are 2.7 abortion clinics for every 100,000 women of reproductive age (15-44) in the District of Columbia. Across the entire United States there are 1.2 abortion clinics for every 100,000 women of reproductive age.
Abortion Clinics in the District of Columbia (2020): 5
In 2020, the Guttmacher Institute reports that there were 5 abortion clinics in the District of Columbia and 8 facilities that performed abortion. The table below compares total District of Columbia abortion facilities by selected year.
| 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 12 |
State Abortion Restrictions (2024):
- Medicaid does not provide coverage for abortion.
SOURCE: https://states.guttmacher.org/policies/district-columbia/abortion-policies
CDC DATA
Total Abortions (2021): 3,870
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 3,870 abortions took place in the District of Columbia during 2021. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on District of Columbia residents in other states. The table below compares District of Columbia abortion totals by year.
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,416 | 4,552 | 4,771 | 3,624 | NR | 1,267 | 2,790 | 2,561 | 2,615 | 2,768 |
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,416 | 4,552 | 4,771 | 3,624 | NR |
| 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,267 | 2,790 | 2,561 | 2,615 | 2,768 |
Abortion Percentage (2021): 30.9%
In 2021, 30.9% of pregnancies in the District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia abortion percentages by year.
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC | 33.2% | 33.4% | 34.1% | 27.5% | NR | 11.7% | 22.7% | 21.6% | 22% | 23% |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC | 33.2% | 33.4% | 34.1% | 27.5% | NR |
| U.S.* | 16.9% | 16.5% | 15.9% | 15.6% | 15.7% |
| 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC | 11.7% | 22.7% | 21.6% | 22% | 23% |
| U.S.* | 15.8% | 16.1% | 16.7% | 17% | 18% |
Out-of-State Abortion Percentage (2011): NR
The District of Columbia did not record the percentage of abortions 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)
