Who's pro-choice and why

Abstract

In the United States, women and men have had roughly the same attitudes on abortion for decades. This seems strange, since the costs of an unplanned conception can be much greater for women. But they may be greatest for women most at risk—for single women of reproductive age—and for their families. Results of a telephone survey in and around Ann Arbor, Michigan, show that unmarried women between menarche and menopause are more likely to express pro-choice opinions, to vote for pro-choice candidates for public office, and to spend time or money on pro-choice activities. So are their grandparents, parents, and siblings. Results of a state-by-state comparison of governors' and legislatures' positions on abortion suggest that both are more pro-choice as the proportion of women at risk goes up. Perhaps even more important, legal restrictions on abortion, requiring parental notice or consent, and reducing the availability of public funding, are more common in states with lower proportions of single, reproductive-aged women.