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 is often 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.
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): 16.5%
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 16.5% of the abortions that took place in North Carolina were performed on out-of-state residents.
*U.S. averages are limited to reporting districts.
GUTTMACHER DATA
Estimated Total Abortions (2020): 31,850
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that approximately 31,850 abortions took place in North Carolina during 2020. 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.
| 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31,850 | 29,500 | 29,960 | 28,600 | 33,140 | 34,500 |
Estimated Abortion Percentage (2020): 21.4%
In 2020, an estimated 21.4% 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* (2020): 15.3
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that the 2020 abortion rate for North Carolina was 15.3. The 2020 abortion rate across the entire United States was 14.4. The table below compares North Carolina abortion rates by selected year.
| 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC | 15.3 | 14.6 | 15.1 | 14.6 | 17.5 | 18.8 |
| U.S. | 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 (2020): 3.4%
In 2020, approximately 3.4% of all U.S. abortions occurred in North Carolina.
Abortion Clinics in North Carolina (2017): 14
In 2017, the Guttmacher Institute reports that there were 14 abortion clinics in North Carolina and 26 facilities that performed abortion. The table below compares total North Carolina abortion facilities by selected year.
| 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 37 | 36 | 31 | 37 |
State Abortion Restrictions (2022):
- A woman must receive state-directed counseling about abortion and then wait 72 hours before the abortion takes place.
- Health plans offered in the state’s health exchange can only cover abortion in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest.
- The use of telemedicine for the performance of medication abortion is prohibited.
- Public health insurance can only cover abortion in cases of life endangerment, rape, or incest.
- The parent of a minor must consent before an abortion can take place.
- Public funding is available for abortion only in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest.
- A woman must undergo an ultrasound before obtaining an abortion.
- An abortion cannot be performed after viability unless the mother's life or health is endangered.
- The state prohibits abortions performed for the purpose of sex selection.
- Abortion clinics must meet the same structural standards as other ambulatory surgical centers.
SOURCE: https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/state-facts-about-abortion-north-carolina
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)
