Tennessee 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 Tennessee, visit: Abortion Stories (Tennessee)
CDC DATA
Total Abortions (2019): 9,719
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 9,719 abortions took place in Tennessee during 2019. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on Tennessee residents in other states. The table below compares Tennessee abortion totals by year.
| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,880 | 10,810 | 11,235 | 11,411 | 12,373 | 14,216 | 15,859 | 16,115 | 16,373 | 17,474 |
| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,880 | 10,810 | 11,235 | 11,411 | 12,373 |
| 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14,216 | 15,859 | 16,115 | 16,373 | 17,474 |
Abortion Percentage (2019): 10.8%
In 2019, 10.8% of pregnancies in Tennessee 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 Tennessee abortion percentages by year.
| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TN | 11.9% | 11.7% | 12.2% | 12.3% | 13.2% | 15.1% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% |
| U.S.* | 15.9% | 15.6% | 15.7% | 15.8% | 16.1% | 16.7% | 17% | 18% | 19% | 19% |
| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TN | 11.9% | 11.7% | 12.2% | 12.3% | 13.2% |
| U.S.* | 15.9% | 15.6% | 15.7% | 15.8% | 16.1% |
| 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TN | 15.1% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 18% |
| U.S.* | 16.7% | 17% | 18% | 19% | 19% |
Out-of-State Abortion Percentage (2019): 18.8%
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 18.8% of the abortions that took place in Tennessee were performed on out-of-state residents.
*U.S. averages are limited to reporting districts.
GUTTMACHER DATA
Estimated Total Abortions (2017): 12,140
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that approximately 12,140 abortions took place in Tennessee during 2017. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on Tennessee residents in other states. The table below compares Tennessee abortion totals by selected year.
| 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,140 | 13,880 | 16,720 | 19,550 | 18,140 |
Estimated Abortion Percentage (2017): 13.0%
In 2017, an estimated 13.0% of pregnancies in Tennessee 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 (81,016)—as reported by the CDC—and estimated abortions.
Estimated Abortion Rate* (2017): 9.2
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that the 2017 abortion rate for Tennessee was 9.2. The 2017 abortion rate across the entire United States was 13.5. The table below compares Tennessee abortion rates by selected year.
| 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TN | 9.2 | 10.7 | 13.1 | 15.5 | 14.4 |
| U.S. | 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 (2017): 1.4%
In 2017, approximately 1.4% of all U.S. abortions occurred in Tennessee.
Facilities That Perform Abortions (2017): 8
In 2017, the Guttmacher Institute reports that there were 8 abortion providers in Tennessee. The table below compares total Tennessee abortion facilities by selected year.
| 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
State Abortion Restrictions (2019):
- Abortion would be banned if Roe v. Wade were overturned.
- A woman must receive state-directed counseling about abortion in person and then wait 48 hours before the abortion takes place.
- Health plans offered in the state’s health exchange cannot cover abortion.
- The use of telemedicine for the performance of medication abortion is prohibited.
- 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.
SOURCE: https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/state-facts-about-abortion-tennessee
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)
