West Virginia Abortion Statistics
State abortion statistics from the leading public and private sources.
Collective state abortion statistics are gathered privately by the Guttmacher Institute and federally by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Because of reporting lag, their most recent data can be 2-3 years old. In most cases, state-level abortion facts are more current than the numbers reported by Guttmacher or the CDC. Guttmacher’s abortion statistics are estimates built on surveys of all known and suspected abortion providers; the CDC totals are made up of the actual abortion counts reported to the state health department by each abortion facility.
To learn more, visit: Prenatal Development, Abortion Procedures or Abortion Pictures
To read abortion stories from West Virginia, visit: Abortion Stories (West Virginia)
LEGAL STATUS OF ABORTION IN West Virginia
In September, 2022—following the reversal of Roe v. Wade, elective abortion became illegal in West Virginia. An abortion shall only be permitted if it is deemed necessary to preserve the life of the mother or to avert substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function, not including psychological or emotional conditions. This prohibition does not apply to the removal of a miscarried child. Neither does it apply in cases of ectopic pregnancy. The performance of an illegal abortion in West Virginia is subject to discipline from the applicable licensure board, including, but not limited to, loss of professional license to practice. The performance of an abortion by a non-medical professional is a felony punishable by 3-10 years in prison. No woman upon whom an abortion is performed or attempted may be charged or convicted of a criminal offense in the death of her own unborn child.
SOURCE: House Bill 302
STATE-LEVEL DATA
Total Abortions (2023): 41
The West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources reports that 41 abortions took place in West Virginia during 2023. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on West Virginia residents in other states.
SOURCE: West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources
GUTTMACHER DATA
Estimated Total Abortions (2023): 0
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that approximately 0 abortions took place in West Virginia during 2023. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on West Virginia residents in other states. The table below compares West Virginia abortion totals by selected year.
| 2023 | 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 990 | 1,430 | 2,020 | 2,390 | 2,280 | 2,360 |
Estimated Abortion Percentage (2023): 0%
In 2023, an estimated 0% of pregnancies in West Virginia ended in abortion. This number does not take into account miscarriages. It was arrived at by dividing Guttmacher's abortion estimate by the sum total of live births—as reported by the CDC—and estimated abortions.
Estimated Abortion Rate* (2023): 0
The Guttmacher Institute estimates that the 2023 abortion rate for West Virginia was 0. The 2023 abortion rate across the entire United States was 15.6. The table below compares West Virginia abortion rates by selected year.
| 2023 | 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WV | 0 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 6 | 7 | 6.6 | 6.7 |
| U.S. | 15.6 | 14.4 | 13.5 | 14.6 | 16.9 | 19.4 | 19.4 |
*The abortion rate is the number of abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years.
Percentage of All U.S. Abortions (2023): 0%
In 2023, approximately 0% of all U.S. abortions occurred in West Virginia.
Abortion Clinic Density: 0
Based on the 2020 counts, there are 0 abortion clinics for every 100,000 women of reproductive age (15-44) in West Virginia. Across the entire United States there are 1.2 abortion clinics for every 100,000 women of reproductive age.
Abortion Clinics in West Virginia (2020): 0
In 2020, the Guttmacher Institute reports that there were 0 abortion clinics in West Virginia and 3 facilities that performed abortion. The table below compares total West Virginia abortion facilities by selected year.
| 2020 | 2017 | 2014 | 2011 | 2008 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
SOURCE: https://states.guttmacher.org/policies/west-virginia/abortion-policies
CDC DATA
Total Abortions (2022): 831
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 831 abortions took place in West Virginia during 2022. This number includes abortions performed on out-of-state residents but does not include abortions performed on West Virginia residents in other states. The table below compares West Virginia abortion totals by year.
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,375 | 1,001 | 1,183 | 1,507 | 1,436 | 1,428 | 1,516 | 1,730 | 1,876 | 1,828 |
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,375 | 1,001 | 1,183 | 1,507 | 1,436 |
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,428 | 1,516 | 1,730 | 1,876 | 1,828 |
Abortion Percentage (2022): 4.7%
In 2022, 4.7% of pregnancies in West Virginia ended in abortion—compared to 16.6% of pregnancies nationwide.* This number does not take into account miscarriages. It was arrived at by dividing the state abortion ratio by the sum of the abortion ratio plus 1,000. The abortion ratio is the number of abortions that occurred per 1,000 lives births. The table below compares West Virginia abortion percentages by year.
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WV | 7.4% | 5.5% | 6.1% | 7.7% | 7.1% | 7.0% | 7.1% | 7.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
| U.S.* | 16.9% | 16.5% | 16.2% | 15.8% | 15.5% | 15.4% | 15.7% | 16.0% | 16.5% | 17% |
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WV | 7.4% | 5.5% | 6.1% | 7.7% | 7.1% |
| U.S.* | 16.9% | 16.5% | 16.2% | 15.8% | 15.5% |
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WV | 7.0% | 7.1% | 7.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
| U.S.* | 15.4% | 15.7% | 16.0% | 16.5% | 17% |
Out-of-State Abortion Percentage (2022): 22%
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 22% of the abortions that took place in West Virginia were performed on out-of-state residents.
*U.S. averages are limited to reporting districts.
Parent Page:
- State Abortion Statistics: Comparative state abortion stats by rank, total, percentage, and clinics.
Related Entries:
- U.S. Abortion Statistics: Facts and figures relating to the frequency of abortion in the United States.
- U.S. Abortion Law: An overview of the history and legality of abortion in the United States.
- U.S. Abortion History: The 200-year history of abortion in America goes back well before 1973.
For Further Study:
- The Remarkably High Cost of Cheap Sex (Abort73 Blog)
- Does Poverty Lead to Abortion, or Does Abortion Lead to Poverty? (Abort73 Blog)
- The Law Can’t Make Abortion Safe; Birth Control Can’t Make Abortion Rare (Abort73 Blog)
- It’s All the Same: Why Early and Late-Term Abortion are Moral Equivalents (Abort73 Blog)
- The Moral Dilemma of Repeat Abortion (Abort73 Blog)
- Who is Most at Risk to Have an Abortion? (Abort73 Blog)
- Marriage, Contraception, and Unplanned Pregnancy (Abort73 Blog)
