The DOI matches its Crossref record.
Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives
Abstract
CONTEXT: Understanding women's reasons for having abortions can inform public debate and policy regarding abortion and unwanted pregnancy. Demographic changes over the last two decades highlight the need for a reassessment of why women decide to have abortions. METHODS: In 2004, a structured survey was completed by 1,209 abortion patients at 11 large providers, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 38 women at four sites. Bivariate analyses examined differences in the reasons for abortion across subgroups, and multivariate logistic regression models assessed associations between respondent characteristics and reported reasons. RESULTS: The reasons most frequently cited were that having a child would interfere with a woman's education, work or ability to care for dependents (74%); that she could not afford a baby now (73%); and that she did not want to be a single mother or was having relationship problems (48%). Nearly four in 10 women said they had completed their childbearing, and almost one-third were not ready to have a child. Fewer than 1% said their parents' or partners' desire for them to have an abortion was the most important reason. Younger women often reported that they were unprepared for the transition to motherhood, while older women regularly cited their responsibility to dependents. CONCLUSIONS: The decision to have an abortion is typically motivated by multiple, diverse and interrelated reasons. The themes of responsibility to others and resource limitations, such as financial constraints and lack of partner support, recurred throughout the study.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Young people desire to avoid parenthood in order to focus on their own education, professional development, relationships, and other aspects of their lives (Finer et al., 2005).”
From The role (and limits) of developmental neuroscience in determining adolescents' autonomy rights: The case for reproductive and voting rights (2024) · cites this paper as Finer et al., 2005
Citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 301–367 of 367
Steyn, C., Govender, I., & Ndimande, J. V. (2018) · South African Family Practice · doi:10.4102/safp.v60i4.4908
Geis, G. (2013) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-5690-2_306
The impact of regional and international law on domestic abortion law
Redmond-Sovie, M. M. (2020) · doi:10.17760/d20394163
Contraceptive Options for Women with Headache Disease
Bartz, D., O’Neal, M. A., & Edlow, A. G. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2341-0_7
Mabetha, K., Soepnel, L. M., Ssewanyana, D., et al. (2022) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-2142457/v1
Upholding Medical Ethics Principles by Performing Abortion: A Provider's Perspective
Rich, N., & Rapkin, R. B. (2022) · Journal of Gynecologic Surgery · doi:10.1089/gyn.2022.0068
Kaushal, V. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_371-1
Issues in Recent Conflicts about Changing Power Inequalities
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.003.0009
Reducing African American Inequalities, 1945–1969
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.003.0005
African American Advances and Backlashes, 1970–2022
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.003.0006
Class-Related Conflicts, 1945–1969
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.003.0002
Conflicts about Gender and Other Collective Identities, 1945–2022
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.003.0007
Rising Class Inequality, 1970–1992
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.003.0003
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.002.0003
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.002.0006
Reflecting Backward and Looking Forward
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.003.0001
Recovering and Advancing Equality in the Future
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.003.0010
Hyper Class Inequality, 1993–2022
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.003.0004
Changing Political Power Equality, 1765–2022
Kriesberg, L. (2022) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197674796.003.0008
Abortion advocacy for the allergist?
Smart, S. J. (2023) · The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice · doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2023.01.030
The Economic Implications of Roe v. Wade's Reversal on Marginalized WomenPreprint
Chowdhury, S. (2023) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.4416709
Marson, S. M. (2021) · International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics · doi:10.55521/10-018-104
Yang, H. (2023) · Interdisciplinary Humanities and Communication Studies · doi:10.61173/9yt38z57
Is the Deliberately Induced Abortion of a Human Pregnancy Ethically Justifiable?
Arp, R., & Caplan, A. L. (2013) · doi:10.1002/9781394260973.part4
Abortion: Paternal Termination Strategies
Dykeman, A., & Dykeman, E. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-08956-5_381-1
Chapter 4 Intergenerational Negotiations of Non-marital Pregnancies in Contemporary Japan
Hertog, E. (2016) · Berghahn Books · doi:10.1515/9781789204674-007
Pregnancy Termination Policy and Cleft Lip and Palate
Junn, A., Spoer, D. L., Koh, M. J., et al. (2024) · Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery · doi:10.1097/prs.0000000000011417
McLeod, C. (2020) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198732723.002.0003
McLeod, C. (2020) · doi:10.1093/oso/9780198732723.002.0004
Kelbrants, K. (2023) · The Macalester street journal. · doi:10.62543/msj.v1i1.6
Iqbal, S. M. U., & Jannawar, H. (2024) · Advances in public policy and administration (APPA) book series · doi:10.4018/979-8-3693-7837-3.ch006
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.003.0008
Investigating Cross-National Abortion Behavior and Its Relationship with Attitudes
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.003.0007
Democracy, Laws, and Policy in Shaping Abortion Views
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.003.0004
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.005.0003
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.002.0004
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.005.0004
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.003.0001
Religion and Abortion Attitudes
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.003.0002
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.002.0006
The Role of Economics and Education in Shaping Public Opinion about Abortion
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.003.0003
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.005.0002
Communism, Confucianism, Cultural Values, and Survey Challenges for Understanding Abortion Attitudes
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.003.0006
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.002.0005
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.005.0001
Gender Equality, Social Movement Activity, and Race for Understanding Views about Abortion
Adamczyk, A. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780197761083.003.0005
Heath, J., & Nguyen, B. T. (2025) · American Journal of Men s Health · doi:10.1177/15579883241307795
Kubes, S. E., Bradford, C. V., Engdahl, S., Carpenter, P. A., & Hovey, S. W. (2025) · The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics · doi:10.5863/1551-6776-30.2.271
Abortion in a military population: A review of the literature
Kinkaid, V. E., Guest, R., Kavanagh, J., et al. (2025) · Journal of Military Veteran and Family Health · doi:10.3138/jmvfh-2025-0011
Ideas About Gender and Motherhood Are Related to Support for Legal Abortion
Taylor, C. J. (2025) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/s0882-614520250000042007
(2008) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/978-1-60752-649-020251016
If abortion substantially risks homicide, it should be illegal
Braddock, M. C. (2025) · Metamedicine · doi:10.1007/s11017-025-09737-y
Mabetha, K., Soepnel, L. M., SSewanyana, D., et al. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26752744
Mabetha, K., Soepnel, L. M., SSewanyana, D., et al. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.26752741
Reproductive health consequences of criminal legal involvement for women who use drugs in Taiwan
Hsieh, T.-W., Rei, W., Siew, R., Wang, S.-C., & Chen, C. (2026) · International Journal of Drug Policy · doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.105135
Subsidizing contraception: Effects on contraceptive coverage, abortions, and births
Rosenberg, S. J. (2026) · Journal of Health Economics · doi:10.1016/j.jhealeco.2026.103112
Abortion and Pastoral Theology: Assessing the State of the Field
Hansen, D. T. (2025) · Journal of Pastoral Theology · doi:10.1080/10649867.2026.2629136
Redding, L. (2026) · Studies in Clinical Social Work Transforming Practice Education and Research · doi:10.1080/28376811.2026.2638587
Hernandez, N. (2026) · Public Opinion Quarterly · doi:10.1093/poq/nfag050
Forgive me, Baby!: Applied theatre, spirituality, and teacher identity work in EFL teaching
Truc, L. Q. (2026) · Social Sciences & Humanities Open · doi:10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.103256
Masoumi, S. Z., Ghelichkhani, S., Soltani, F., et al. (2026) · Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research · doi:10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_272_25
How Common Is Abortion Coercion? Evidence From a Large US Sample of People Assigned Male at Birth
Grace, K. T., Miller, E. P., & Tobin‐Tyler, E. (2026) · Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health · doi:10.1111/psrh.70077
Watson, L. B., Hunt, M. E., Ternes, M. S., & Bywater, A. (2026) · Psychology of Women Quarterly · doi:10.1177/03616843261480324
Population Reduction is Our Best Hope
Conly, S. (2026) · Canadian Journal of Philosophy · doi:10.1017/can.2026.10109
Social Class and the Timing and Context of Childbearing
Johnson-Hanks, J. A., Bachrach, C., Morgan, S., & Kohler, H. (2011) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-1945-3_4 · Cited by 1
Rosenfeld, J. A. (2009) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511642111.006
Contraceptive Options for Women with Headache Disease
Bartz, D., O’Neal, M. A., & Edlow, A. G. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-1233-9_7
Metadata
- Authors
- Finer, L. B., Frohwirth, L. F., Dauphinee, L. A., Singh, S., & Moore, A. M.
- Venue
- Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2005-09
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 03
- Pages
- 110-118
- ISSN
- 1538-6341 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4230122068
- Cited by
- 433
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 8.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Health and Contraception
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › International Human Rights and Reproductive Law
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History › Historical Studies on Reproduction, Gender, Health, and Societal Changes
- Keywords
- abortion, reasons for abortion, women's reproductive choices, American women
- MeSH terms
- Abortion, Induced, Abortion, Legal, Adolescent, Adult, Contraception, Decision Making, Female, Health Services Accessibility, Health Services Needs and Demand, Humans, Motivation, Pregnancy, Surveys and Questionnaires, Socioeconomic Factors, United States, Women's Rights, Multivariate Analysis, Chi-Square Distribution, Women's Health
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review