English: This graph shows data on U.S. abortion rates from 1970 to 2019.
To estimate the percentage change in the abortion rate from one year to the next most accurately, we must compare data from the same group of states in both years. Unfortunately, different states report their data to the CDC in different years. The black, blue, green, and purple pieces of the graph allow us to make accurate apples-to-apples comparisons. Each differently colored piece shows data from a different group of states. For example, the blue piece shows data from 46 reporting areas that reported continuously from 1997 through 2006.
The data, collected by the CDC, is taken from the following documents:
Gamble, Sonya B.; Strauss, Lilo T.; Parker, Wilda Y.; Cook, Douglas A.; Zane, Suzanne B.; Hamdan, Saeed (November 28, 2008). "Abortion Surveillance -- United States, 2005". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 57 (SS-13): 16.
Pazol, Karen; Gamble, Sonya B.; Parker, Wilda Y.; Cook, Douglas A.; Zane, Suzanne B.; Hamdan, Saeed (November 27, 2009). "Abortion Surveillance -- United States, 2006". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 58 (SS08): 13.
Jatlaoui, Tara C.; Boutot, Maegan E.; Mandel, Michele G.; Whiteman, Maura K.; Ti, Angeline; Petersen, Emily; Pazol, Karen (November 23, 2018). "Abortion Surveillance -- United States, 2015". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 67 (13): 20.
Kortsmit, Katherine; Mandel, Michele G.; Reeves, Jennifer A.; Clark, Elizabeth; Pagano, H. Pamela; Nguyen, Antionette; Petersen, Emily E.; Whiteman, Maura K. (November 26, 2021). "Abortion Surveillance -- United States, 2019". Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 70 (9): 14.