CHANGES IN BELIEFS ABOUT ABORTION SAFETY IN A NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023

Abstract

Objectives

We aimed to estimate changes in beliefs about abortion safety among the US population assigned female at birth (AFAB) before and after Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

Methods

We administered two serial cross-sectional surveys to English- or Spanish-speaking members of a nationally-representative panel of AFAB respondents, ages 15-49, pre-Dobbs (December 2021/January 2022; n=6,943) and post-Dobbs (June/July 2023; n=3,533). We asked participants to indicate whether they agree (ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree) “that it is usually safe for a pregnant person to end a pregnancy", by (1) having an in-clinic abortion procedure; (2) using abortion pills obtained at a clinic or doctor’s office; and (3) using abortion pills obtained outside the formal healthcare system. Using weighted logistic regression models with year as the independent variable, we assessed changes in safety beliefs pre- to post-Dobbs, both overall and among subgroups.

Results

Between 2022 and 2023, the proportion of respondents agreeing that each abortion method was “usually safe” increased: in-clinic procedure: 57.8% to 64.1% (p<0.001); in-clinic medication abortion: 52.2% to 59.6% (p<0.001); and pills obtained outside of the formal healthcare system: 7.4% to 9.6% (p<0.001). In stratified analyses, subgroups associated with increased endorsement of safety between years included respondents identifying as a Democrat, with no history of abortion, and who support in-clinic procedural abortion legality (p<0.05 for all abortion method outcomes).

Conclusions

In a nationally representative sample, belief that abortion methods are safe increased between 2022 and 2023 despite increasing abortion restrictions and policies claiming abortion is unsafe. Still, public knowledge about abortion safety remains low.