Results of a recent poll show that 67% of Americans support placing legal limits on abortion, and that 57% support limiting abortions to at most the first three months of pregnancy. The survey, conducted by the Marist Poll and commissioned annually by the Knights of Columbus, also found that 84% of Americans support pregnancy resource centers, which offer support to mothers both during their pregnancy and after their baby is born. Additionally, the poll found that 63% of Americans believe healthcare professionals with religious objections to abortions should not be legally required to perform them, while 88% of Americans believe that laws can protect both the mother and her unborn child.
The poll’s results are a grim reminder that a shockingly large portion of Americans – one in three – support abortion with no limits based on viability or gestational period whatsoever. At the same time, however, pro-life advocates can take solace in the fact that the majority of Americans disapprove of such an extreme stance. The administrators of the poll have remarked that it’s a good indicator of voters’ consistency regarding the issue.
“Despite the publicly heated debates about abortion, there remains a consensus of opinion on this issue among Americans,” said Dr. Barbara L. Carvalho, Director of the Marist Poll. “Americans believe abortion should be limited yet include exceptions for rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother… Despite the changes in practice that have occurred since the Supreme Court’s landmark Dobbs decision, public opinion has remained consistent.”
Further details of the poll’s results can be found here via the Knights of Columbus website.