Examining Changes in Abortion Attitudes Following the Transition to Parenthood

Abstract

The recent reversal of Roe v. Wade in the United States demonstrates both the precarity of reproductive rights and the need to identify the correlates of abortion support. Surprisingly, little is known about how the transition to parenthood impacts attitudes toward abortion. We address this oversight by utilising nine annual waves (2011–2019) of longitudinal panel data to examine rates of change in support for elective and traumatic abortion in the year(s) before and after participants became parents (N = 1,266). Consistent with population trends, support for elective and traumatic abortion increased in the year(s) before participants became parents. After the transition to parenthood, support for elective abortion continued to increase (albeit at a slower rate), whereas traumatic abortion support stopped increasing. These results demonstrate that the process of becoming a parent attenuates the growth of abortion support over time and highlight the need for robust policies that protect reproductive autonomy.