Most Americans do not take a hard-line position on this issue. Nearly six-in-ten say that abortion either should be legal in most cases (33%) or should be illegal in most cases (25%). Fewer say that abortion should be legal (20%) or illegal (16%) in all cases.
Public Opinion on Abortion
January 2013
Current Breakdown of Views, 2011-2012
Source: Aggregated data from Pew Research Center surveys conducted in 2011 and 2012.
Question wording can be found here (PDF), and information on the
Pew Research Center's polling methodology can be found here.
Additional resources on Abortion:
Roe v. Wade at 40: Most Oppose Overturning Abortion Decision
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life - January 2013
A History of Key Abortion Rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life - January 2013
Religious Groups' Official Positions on Abortion
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life - January 2013
