By Anne Reed | Updated December 20, 2024
Operation Rescue’s Annual Survey Adds Insight
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) finally released 2022 abortion numbers. This is the first time the CDC has released data on abortion numbers since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization resulted in the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
The report reveals that a total of 613,383 abortions were reported to the CDC from 48 reporting areas. The abortion rate was 11.2 abortions per 1,000 women between 15 and 44 years of age, and the abortion ratio was 199 abortions per 1,000 live births.
Upward Trend Broken
Abortions had been trending upward until 2022, when the number fell by 2% (from 622,108 total abortions in 2021 to 613,383 in 2022). As expected, abortions fell in states that enacted pro-life laws and increased in other states. Of course, some states saw a dramatic increase, such as Kansas and New Mexico that have become abortion destinations.
Other Positive Take-Aways
Another positive takeaway is the 1.1% decrease in teen abortions. And, although data from the CDC and Guttmacher show rising abortion numbers since 2017, the 2022 Dobbs decision stopped the trend of increasing abortions. This data and birth data from Texas and other states provides powerful statistical evidence that pro-life laws are saving innocent lives.
Voluntary Reporting/Incomplete Data
It is important to note that the CDC data is incomplete. In most states, hospitals, facilities and physicians are legally required to collect abortion data. However, reporting of that abortion data is voluntary. Though the CDC sends a suggested template to central health agencies for compilation of data, states are not required to use it and utilize a wide variety of data collection forms. The information reported to the CDC, therefore, is incomplete, lacking in uniformity.
Due to the voluntary nature of the reporting, the actual numbers are likely significantly higher than those reported. New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maryland, and California, the latter of which had the largest number of abortion clinics in the nation, all failed to report abortion data to the CDC in 2022.
Operation Rescue’s 2022 Survey Data Complements CDC Findings for Fuller Picture
According to Operation Rescue’s 2022 annual survey, America’s most comprehensive annual report on the abortion industry, the four non-reporting states above accounted for a striking 34% of abortion clinics in the U.S.
For a somewhat more accurate estimate of abortions committed nationally in 2022, the estimated number of abortions jumps to 821,933 when increasing the number of abortions the CDC reported by 34% (to make up for the four non-reporting states).
According to Operation Rescue’s 2022 annual survey, the average cost of a first trimester abortion was $609. According to these estimates, the abortion industry likely garnered a half billion dollars ($500.6 million) for abortions in 2022. The majority of that blood money was almost certainly collected by Planned Parenthood, as it held 54% of the market share of clinics in 2022.
According to its most recent annual report, Planned Parenthood received a staggering $699.3 million in taxpayer funds in the fiscal year 2022-2023. In the years prior, from 2019 to 2021, taxpayer funding averaged $592 million annually.
“This means that Planned Parenthood received more taxpayer funding than the entire abortion industry receives from patients combined,” said President of Operation Rescue Troy Newman. “Is it any surprise that Planned Parenthood’s market share continues to grow? Our extensive investigations this year revealed a 4% jump from 54% of the abortion clinic market share to 58%.”
Operation Rescue to Release 2024 Survey Data Next Week
The CDC’s 2022 report indicates that the use of chemical abortion drugs increased from 56% to 57.6%. This supports Operation Rescue’s findings for the last several years that the availability of chemical abortion drugs continues to rise.
Watch for the exclusive early release on December 10 of Operation Rescue’s 2024 Survey of American Abortion Facilities.
“We look forward to releasing our 2024 annual survey report revealing the truth about the abortion industry – and not the prepackaged talking points we hear from the abortion cartel and the sycophantic media. Watch for the exclusive early release next week!”
This report may be republished with inclusion of the following acknowledgement: “This article was originally published by Operation Rescue, a leading pro-life, Christian activist organization dedicated to exposing abortion abuses, demanding enforcement, saving innocent lives, and building an abortion-free America. The author, Anne Reed, is Senior Policy Advisor for Operation Rescue.”
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