Quick look: Here’s how California abortion rates tracked in recent decades

Abortion occurs more frequently in California than in most other states, according to the latest data from the Guttmacher Institute.

There were about 154,000 abortions in California during 2020. That’s about 19.2 abortions per 1,000 California women aged 15-44, compared to 14.4 abortions per 1,000 women nationwide. Only five states - New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Illinois and Florida - had a higher abortion rate than California in 2020.

Abortion rates declined sharply in California for several decades. The birth rate fell alongside the abortion rate, suggesting increased use of birth control. However, the state’s abortion rate has increased since 2017, part of a nationwide trend.

The Guttmacher Institute’s figures - based on a nationwide survey of abortion providers - include abortions performed in California for women who live in other states. It is likely that California’s abortion rate will rise more in response to Friday’s Supreme Court decision overturning Roe vs. Wade, as people from states with abortion restrictions travel here to terminate their pregnancies.