Choice without freedom isn’t choice at all.
If you believe in women’s autonomy and the right to choose, recent peer-reviewed research reveals a reality that should deeply concern you—one that challenges everything we assume about abortion decisions.
Most abortions don’t reflect what women truly want.
A groundbreaking 2023 study published in Cureus Journal of Medical Science surveyed women about their abortion experiences:
- Only 33% described their abortion as both wanted and consistent with their values.
- 43% said their abortion was inconsistent with their values and preferences.
- 24%—nearly one in four—classified their abortion as unwanted or coerced.
Two out of three women who had abortions say the decision went against what they actually wanted or believed. That’s not real choice—only the illusion of choice.
The pressure is real—and sometimes deadly.
Over 60% of women felt pressured to abort—ranging from subtle manipulation to outright threats. This pressure comes from partners, parents, employers, and even abortion providers who discourage women from considering alternatives.
One woman said, “Everyone assumed I’d get an abortion. No one even asked what I wanted.” Her experience reflects a painful pattern where abortion is presented as the only option, and a woman’s actual desires are never even explored.
And the connection between coercion and violence cannot be ignored. Partners threaten harm, abandonment, or other consequences for refusing abortion. One woman reported: “He said if I didn’t get the abortion, I’d never see my daughter again.” What’s more, homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women in the U.S., with many murders occurring when women resist pressure to abort.
Women want support, not abortion.
Perhaps most revealing: 60% of women who had abortions say they would have preferred to give birth if they’d had more financial security or emotional support. They didn’t want abortion—they wanted help.
What women actually needed was housing assistance and financial stability, workplace flexibility and maternity leave, emotional support from family and friends, and protection from those pressuring them to abort.
Yet our society’s primary response is to offer abortion as the “solution”—not the genuine support women are asking for.
When someone you know faces an unplanned pregnancy …
How you respond matters more than you might realize. Your words can either add to the pressure or provide genuine support.
Don’t assume she wants an abortion. Many women are never even asked what they really want. She may not see abortion as the answer.
Don’t leave it all on her. Saying, “I’ll support you, whatever you decide” might sound affirming, but women often hear this as abandonment—like it’s all on her. She needs to know you’ll be there with real, concrete support.
Do offer specific help. “I can help you find housing resources,” “I’ll go with you to appointments,” “Let’s look at your options together.” Show her she’s not alone.
Do listen without judgment. Let her express her real feelings—which might include wanting to continue the pregnancy despite the challenges.
This should unite us.
Whether you identify as pro-choice or pro-life, we should all agree: No woman should be forced into an abortion she doesn’t want. No woman should face violence for choosing life. No woman should abort because she lacks basic support.
If we truly believe in reproductive freedom, we must ensure women have real choices—not just abortion or poverty, abortion or abandonment, abortion or violence.
Order copies of the flyer “Pro-Choice? A Call to Action” here.