WASHINGTON — A new national survey released by the Pew Research Center underscores that Americans remain deeply divided on abortion and far from united behind the abortion industry’s push for unlimited abortion.  

“Despite efforts to portray abortion as a settled issue, Americans remain deeply conflicted about abortion and continue to recognize the humanity of the unborn child,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “Only a small minority of Americans support abortion without limits. Millions believe that unborn children deserve legal protection.”

The survey’s toplines found that 39% of Americans say the statement “Human life begins at conception, so an embryo is a person with rights” describes their views extremely or very well.

The survey’s toplines also reveal that only 23% of Americans say abortion should be legal in all cases, while 38% say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases—demonstrating that strong support remains for meaningful legal protections for unborn children.

The poll also highlights significant public concern about chemical abortion. Pew found that more than one-quarter of Americans say abortion pills should be illegal in their state, while nearly one in five remain unsure. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning voters, opposition to chemical abortion is even stronger.  

“Abortion advocates want to claim the public supports sweeping abortion access, including dangerous mail-order abortion pills,” Tobias said. “But the reality is that Americans remain cautious and divided, particularly when it comes to expanding chemical abortion.”

Tobias said the results show that the national conversation on abortion is far from over.  

“Many Americans recognize the humanity of the unborn child and feel compassion for women facing difficult pregnancies,” Tobias said. “That moral awareness is exactly why the pro-life work of protecting unborn children and supporting their mothers continues to resonate with millions of Americans.”

The findings reinforce the importance of continued public education on the development of the preborn baby, the risks associated with chemical abortion, and policies that protect both mother and child.  

“The American people understand that abortion is not a simple political issue—it is the moral issue of our day involving the right to life of the most vulnerable members of the human family,” Tobias said. “As more Americans learn the truth about preborn children and the realities of abortion, support for protecting innocent human life will continue to grow.”

Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of affiliates in each of the 50 states, is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. National Right to Life works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia.