Executive Summary

The poll shows overwhelming public endorsement of abortion as a form of healthcare, with most respondents favoring broad access across gestational stages and for health‑related exceptions. [1]

• 80‑90% view abortion as healthcare, framing it as medical care. [1]
• 72‑84% support unrestricted abortion rights even if they personally would have been candidates. [2]
• 80‑91% endorse ensuring abortion access when a woman's life or health is at risk. [3]
• 80‑90% favor including rape and incest exceptions in all abortion laws. [4]
• 76‑87% support permitting abortion during the first trimester. [5]
• 69‑81% support permitting abortion during the second trimester. [6]
• 78‑89% back third‑trimester abortions when maternal risk is high or serious complications are likely. [7]
• 78‑89% agree abortion should remain legal when the fetus is not viable. [8]
• 68‑81% favor on‑demand abortion without required justification. [9]
• 67‑79% support a comprehensive gestational‑stage policy allowing abortion for rape, incest, or complications, and for other reasons up to two months before birth. [10]

What People Believe

Abortion viewed as healthcare

Abortion is characterized as healthcare by some respondents. [1] This frames abortion within the healthcare domain, indicating a perspective that it should be treated like medical care. [1] Agreement with this view ranged from 80% to 90%. [1]

Support for abortion rights despite personal circumstances

Individuals may support the right to abortion even if they personally would have been eligible for it. [2] The respondent indicated they would have been a good candidate for an abortion but still endorse unrestricted access. [2] Agreement with this stance ranged from 72% to 84%. [2]

Suggested Policies and Actions

Ensure abortion access for maternal life and health

Legislators and regulatory bodies should ensure abortion remains available whenever the mother's life or health is at risk, reflecting strong support (80‑91% agree). [3] This aligns with the perspective that abortion is a form of healthcare. [1]

Include rape and incest exceptions in all abortion laws

Legislators should require that any abortion regulation contain exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, with 80‑90% agreement. [4] Viewing abortion as healthcare supports the need for these protective exceptions. [1]

Permit abortion during the first trimester

Lawmakers should allow abortion throughout the first trimester, a position supported by 76‑87% of respondents. [5] This is consistent with the view that abortion constitutes health care. [1]

Permit abortion during the second trimester

Lawmakers should permit abortion throughout the second trimester, with moderate support ranging from 69‑81%. [6] Recognizing abortion as healthcare underpins this stance. [1]

Allow third‑trimester abortion when maternal risk is high or serious complications are likely

Legislators should allow third‑trimester abortions if the birth poses significant risk or serious medical complications, a view endorsed by 78‑89% of respondents. [7] This aligns with the framing of abortion as a health‑related service. [1]

Legalize abortion when the fetus is not viable

Lawmakers should keep abortion legal whenever the fetus is not currently viable, with 78‑89% consensus. [8] Recognizing abortion as health care supports this non‑viability exception. [1]

Allow on‑demand abortion

Legislators should legalize abortion without required justification, reflecting notable support (68‑81% agree). [9] This unrestricted access is consistent with the view that abortion is healthcare and with respondents who support abortion rights even if they personally would have been candidates. [1] [2]

Comprehensive gestational‑stage policy: unrestricted abortion for rape, incest, or complications; other reasons up to at least 2 months before birth

Legislators should adopt a nuanced policy that permits abortion at any stage for rape, incest, or maternal complications, while allowing other reasons up to the last two months of pregnancy, a proposal with moderate support (67‑79% agree). [10] Framing abortion as healthcare and noting personal support for abortion rights reinforce this comprehensive approach. [1] [2]