The legalization of abortion led to a dramatic decline in deaths from back-alley, illegal abortions. Today, complications from abortions occur in less than 1% of cases, and a woman is statistically less likely to experience complications from an abortion than from a penicillin shot (Alan Guttmacher Institute).

In the United States, 1.4 million women have abortions each year (AGI). 89% of these abortions occur before twelve weeks and fewer than 1% after 21 weeks.

In September 2000, the FDA approved the pill Mifeprex (RU486), dramatically improving women's access to safe medical abortions.