West Virginia 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 West Virginia, visit: Abortion Stories (West Virginia)
STATE-LEVEL DATA
Total Abortions (2017): 1,436
The West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources reports that 1,436 abortions took place in West Virginia during 2017. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on West Virginia residents in other states.
SOURCE: West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources
GUTTMACHER DATA
Estimated Total Abortions (2017): 1,430
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that approximately 1,430 abortions took place in West Virginia during 2017. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on West Virginia residents in other states. The table below compares West Virginia abortion totals by selected year.
| 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,430 | 2,020 | 2,390 | 2,280 | 2,360 |
Estimated Abortion Percentage (2017): 7.1%
In 2017, an estimated 7.1% of pregnancies in West Virginia 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 (18,675)—as reported by the CDC—and estimated abortions.
Estimated Abortion Rate* (2017): 4.4
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that the 2017 abortion rate for West Virginia was 4.4. The 2017 abortion rate across the entire United States was 13.5. The table below compares West Virginia abortion rates by selected year.
| 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WV | 4.4 | 6 | 7 | 6.6 | 6.7 |
| 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): 0.2%
In 2017, approximately 0.2% of all U.S. abortions occurred in West Virginia.
Facilities That Perform Abortions (2014): 5
In 2017, the Guttmacher Institute reports that there were 1 abortion providers in West Virginia. The table below compares total West Virginia abortion facilities by selected year.
| 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
State Abortion Restrictions (2019):
- A woman must receive state-directed counseling about abortion and then wait 24 hours before the abortion takes place.
- The use of telemedicine to administer medication abortion is prohibited.
- The parent of a minor must be notified before an abortion can take place.
- Public funding is available for abortion only in cases of life endangerment, rape, incest, or fetal impairment.
- An abortion cannot be performed at or after 20 weeks postfertilization (22 weeks after the woman’s last menstrual period) unless the woman’s life is endangered or her physical health is severely compromised.
- Dilation and evacuation abortions are prohibited except in cases of life endangerment or severely compromised physical health.
SOURCE: https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/state-facts-about-abortion-west-virginia
CDC DATA
Total Abortions (2016): 1,428
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 1,428 abortions took place in West Virginia during 2016. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on West Virginia residents in other states. The table below compares West Virginia abortion totals by year.
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,428 | 1,516 | 1,730 | 1,876 | 1,828 | 1,837 | 1,999 | 1,772 | 1,983 | 1,853 |
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,428 | 1,516 | 1,730 | 1,876 | 1,828 |
| 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,837 | 1,999 | 1,772 | 1,983 | 1,853 |
Abortion Percentage (2016): 7.0%
In 2016, 7.0% of pregnancies in West Virginia 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 West Virginia abortion percentages by year.
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WV | 7.0% | 7.1% | 7.8% | 8.3% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| U.S.* | 15.7% | 15.8% | 16.1% | 16.7% | 17% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 19% |
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WV | 7.0% | 7.1% | 7.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
| U.S.* | 15.7% | 15.8% | 16.1% | 16.7% | 17% |
| 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WV | 8% | 9% | 8% | 8% | 8% |
| U.S.* | 18% | 19% | 19% | 19% | 19% |
Out-of-State Abortion Percentage (2016): 12.0%
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 12.0% of the abortions that took place in West Virginia 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)
