The Facts on Reproductive Freedom
Looking for in-depth information on issues related to reproductive freedom? Our reports, fact sheets, and polling are respected by academics and reporters as valuable resources. Please contact us with questions related to any of these documents.
Memo: Anti-Choice Supreme Court Justices Use Smoke and Mirror Tactics to Distract from Extremist Agenda
No matter how some may try to spin it, there is no path for the Supreme Court to uphold Mississippi’s ban without overturning Roe v. Wade.
Memo: Anti-Choice Movement Spreads Disinformation, Distorts the Truth of Texas SB 8
As backlash to Texas’ ban on abortion care at around six weeks (before many people even know they’re pregnant) mounts, the anti-choice movement is actively spreading disinformation and misleading narratives in an effort to deflect criticism of the cruel new law. This is a critical moment for supporters of reproductive freedom to debunk d...
Memo: Texas Senate Bill 8: What it Means and How We Got Here
At midnight in Texas, a horrifying law (SB 8) went into effect banning abortion before many people know they’re pregnant. This extreme ban has thus far evaded legal challenges by using a novel enforcement approach: deputizing any person to act as a bounty hunter, spy on their neighbors, and secure a $10,000+ reward for successfully suing...
Memo: Anti-Choice Extremist Mark Lee Dickson’s Ties to Texas Senate Bill 8
Today, Texas’ extreme and draconian ban on abortion, which puts a $10,000+ bounty on the heads of people who support someone seeking abortion care after about six weeks of pregnancy, went into effect. One of the main figures behind the bill, SB 8, is Texas-based anti-choice activist Mark Lee Dickson.
Memo: Anti-Choice Amicus Briefs Put Long-Standing Disinformation Narratives on Display
The Supreme Court’s upcoming Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case is a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, threatening the constitutional right to abortion. Amicus briefs from Susan B. Anthony List, Students for Life, and other leading anti-choice organizations were filed last week. Unsurprisingl...
Memo: Arizona was a battleground for reproductive freedom in 2021, but advocates are fighting back
Anti-choice lawmakers in the Arizona legislature made it clear that their strategy was to attack abortion rights and access from every angle imaginable—from threatening people who seek abortion care with jail time, to banning abortion before many people even know they’re pregnant, to banning public institutions from providing abortion re...
Memorándum: Fe y la libertad reproductiva
La Derecha Radical antielección a menudo retrata falsamente la religión como una oposición a la lucha por la libertad reproductiva, pero la verdad es que las personas de todas las tradiciones religiosas tienen posiciones vastas y matizadas sobre el aborto. Para muchos, su apoyo a la libertad reproductiva está profundamente arraigado en s...
Obtener la ventaja: MENSAJES PROACTIVOS SOBRE EL ABORTO PARA APROVECHAR EL DEBATE
Las encuestas muestran que alrededor del 77% de los estadounidenses apoyan el derecho legal al aborto. A pesar de este hecho, la conversación sobre la libertad reproductiva es tratada de manera falsa como si fuera controvertida. El aborto se discute sistemáticamente desde un enfoque de “ambos lados” como si fuera público la opinión está ...
Getting the Edge: Proactive Abortion Messaging to Seize the Debate
We share a vision for a future where all families have the freedom to make personal decisions around parenthood, pregnancy, and abortion care without political interference. In order to make this vision a reality, we must tap into these shared values and create powerful messaging that can unite us toward our shared goal.
Memo: Faith and Reproductive Freedom
The anti-choice Radical Right often falsely portrays religion as set in opposition to the fight for reproductive freedom—but the truth is that people across faith traditions have vast and nuanced positions on abortion. For many, their support for reproductive freedom is deeply rooted in their faith
The First 100 Days of the Biden-Harris Administration: The Big Picture for Reproductive Freedom
Voters across the country turned out in historic numbers in November to send President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to the White House. Now, 100 days into the Biden-Harris administration, we’re seeing the stark difference this change in leadership has had on policies affecting reproductive freedom.
Anti-Choice Violence and the U.S. Capitol Insurrection
Several high profile anti-choice leaders and activists were involved in promoting the Jan. 6th insurrection to overturn the 2020 election results. The history of anti-choice politics intertwining with white supremacy is well-documented and anti-choice extremists wrote the
playbook on violent disruption.
GOP Gaslighting on the Supreme Court
For decades, the Republican party has openly embraced one key goal: securing a solidly conservative Supreme Court that will roll back reproductive freedom (along with a host of other basic rights), making its far-right priorities effectively immune to the will of the people. Yet today, as Republicans stand on the brink of locking in a de...
Combatting Anti-Faith & Conflation Narratives
It’s imperative to remember: Any judicial nominee must be scrutinized on their records, their public statements, and their policy views, especially for a lifetime appointment. This is not about religious identity. People of all faiths support reproductive freedom.
Don’t Get Caught Up in the “Who.” Trump’s Next SCOTUS Nominee Will Threaten Reproductive Freedom for Generations if Confirmed
As speculation swirls around who Trump will name in the coming days, one fact is paramount to remember: No matter who the nominee is, they will be hostile to reproductive freedom and Roe v. Wade.
Findings from One-Week Analysis on Tennessee Abortion Restrictions
Following Tennessee’s recent passage of a slate of abortion restrictions, our Global Strategy Group partners conducted a one-week analysis of related coverage.
‘Pro-Life’ Hypocrisy As COVID-19 Cases Soar
As a majority of states experience a rise in cases, instead of embracing public health guidance and governing competently, Republican politicians continue to exploit the crisis and anti-choice activists are blatantly flouting public health guidelines.
Conservative Attacks on Birth Control
Despite contraception being available and popular since the 1960s and 1970s, anti-choice activists have recently gained steam in their campaign to stigmatize and ban contraception. Now, they’re admitting that if they succeed in banning or otherwise undermining access to abortion, attacking contraception is their next focus.
Accurate and Unbiased?
A deep dive into how the media covers abortion in the US.
Research Roundup: Pro-Life Hypocrisy on COVID-19
Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, anti-choice political leaders have made it crystal clear that they don’t value people’s lives.
Pro-Life Hypocrisy During Covid
As the country and the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed more than 50,000 American lives and rendered more than 26 million people unemployed in the United States, the anti-choice movement and Republican politicians are putting their hypocrisy on full display.
New NARAL Freedom Fund Ad Campaign Influences Voters in Key Battleground States
NARAL Pro-Choice America and the NARAL Freedom Fund launched a six-figure ad campaign in key battleground states to highlight how the Trump Administration is exploiting the pandemic as an excuse to try to ban abortion. The ads show movement against Trump among key demographics.
Marie Newman’s Victory over Anti-Choice Democrat Dan Lipinski in IL-03 Democratic Primary
In one of the most closely-watched primary races in the 2020 election cycle, NARAL-endorsed progressive challenger Marie Newman ousted anti-choice Democratic incumbent Dan Lipinski in Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District.
Research Findings on Forced Interrogation Laws
The anti-choice movement pushes bans on abortion in cases of race, sex selection, or fetal diagnosis, sometimes called “reasons bans,” under the guise of anti-discrimination.
Memo: The Disinformation Threat on Facebook
Facebook’s analysis elides the most important factor in Trump’s success online—the Trump campaign’s aggressive social media push was centered on disinformation and propaganda and worked to undermine a free and fair election.
Reproductive Freedom is a Political Winner – in Red, Blue & Purple States
Americans across the country — in red, blue, and purple states — support reproductive freedom and candidates would be wise to make clear their commitment to ensuring every woman can make her own decisions about how, if, and when to raise a family.
State Legislators Are No Longer Trying To Hide The Ultimate Goal Of The Anti-Choice Movement: To Criminalize Women For Having Abortions
In a recent cascade of extreme anti-choice bills in the states, anti-choice state legislators have become far bolder about their intent to criminalize women who have abortions and doctors who provide care.
The Far Right’s New “Extremist” Narrative Highlights Their Tenuous Position In The Debate On Reproductive Freedom
The culmination of a more than 40-year campaign by anti-choice activists to shift the balance of the Supreme Court decidedly against Roe v. Wade, Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation flipped the script for the conservative movement in the abortion debate.
Polling shows 2020 Democrats are savvy to stand strongly behind abortion access
Recent polling has shown that this outright assault on abortion access is backfiring. Polling clearly shows that the vast majority of Americans support legal access to abortion and do not want extreme bans on abortion, and the 2020 Democratic field reflects mainstream American values on this key issue.
How To Respond to Tough Questions and Avoid Anti-Choice Traps
Disinformation, charged rhetoric, and false information are flying around abortion—especially the rare cases of abortion later in pregnancy—and post-birth palliative care.
Getting the Edge: Proactive Abortion Messaging to Seize the Debate
2020 Message Guidance
A new, long-term message research project conducted by NARAL Pro-Choice America finds that discussing the topic of abortion care and reproductive freedom in the U.S. is highly effective when framed through the narrative lens of freedom vs. control.
Polling: Voters Attitudes toward Abortion Later in Pregnancy
Republicans, led by President Trump, have been making false and incendiary claims about abortions that are performed later in pregnancy and post-birth palliative care.
New Poll Shows Majority of Americans Support Pro-Choice Candidates
A recent poll conducted by Public Policy Polling on behalf of NARAL Pro-Choice America found that a majority of voters are more likely to support elected officials in the next election if they work to advance legislation that will protect Roe v. Wade and prevent the criminalization of abortion.
2020 Who Decides? The Status of Reproductive Rights in the United States
As the country faces a new reality for abortion rights, with the Supreme Court now more hostile to reproductive freedom, the new report illustrates the landscape of reproductive rights in the states. Notably, the report finds that 35 states and the District of Columbia enacted 96 pro-choice measures in 2019—an enormous increase over prev...
2019 Who Decides? The Status of Women’s Reproductive Rights in the United States
Pro-choice measures enacted during 2018 cover wide-ranging topics, from measures to improve contraceptive access, including requirements that health-insurance plans cover 12 months of contraception at once, to policies that promote healthy childbearing, to measures that protect pregnant women in the workplace.
Susan Collins Intentionally Misled the Public about Kavanaugh: She Must be Held Accountable for Kavanaugh’s War on Roe
Throughout Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination process, Senator Susan Collins intentionally misled the public by saying that Kavanaugh did not pose a threat to Roe v. Wade’s protections for women and families.
Championing Reproductive Freedom
Americans across the country support reproductive freedom.
Timeline: Trump Uses Extreme Anti-Choice Measures As Diversion From Scandal
It’s no secret that President Trump uses extreme policies and statements to distract from his ongoing scandals and failures. Often, these extreme diversionary tactics aim at undermining abortion rights and blocking abortion access.
The Anti-Choice Movement Is In Lockstep With Trump’s Extreme Messaging
Amidst a wave of political violence, and in the wake of the tense Kavanaugh hearings, President Trump has increasingly framed his political opponents as “evil” people engaged in a war against him.
New Poll: Suburban Women in Key Swing Districts Are More Likely to Vote for Candidates that Support Reproductive Freedom
A recent poll conducted by Public Policy Polling on behalf of NARAL Pro-Choice America found that a majority suburban women in key Congressional districts support abortion access, and are more likely to vote for candidates that will protect reproductive freedom.
Majority of South Carolina Voters Support Abortion Access
A new survey finds that a large majority (67%) of South Carolina voters believe that abortion should be legal and that the government should not prevent a woman from making that decision for herself.
Where Trump’s FBI Investigation Of Kavanaugh Reportedly Refuses To Look
Following pressure from several senators, the Trump administration authorized the FBI to investigate allegations that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh had committed sexual assault.
NARAL Message Guidance
While Republican lawmakers in states across the country rush to pass extreme abortion bans, reproductive freedom advocates have the critical task of amplifying the real story:
Anti-Choice Leaders Celebrated With Kavanaugh, Declaring His Confirmation A Victory In Their Fight To End Abortion
After dropping at least $16 million and spending weeks lobbying in support of Kavanaugh’s nomination, anti-choice groups celebrated Kavanaugh’s confirmation as a major win for the antichoice movement.
Senate Republicans Have Acted In Bad Faith When Evaluating The Credible Sexual Assault Allegations Against Brett Kavanaugh
From The Beginning, The Republican Establishment Ran A Coordinated Campaign To Bolster Kavanaugh And Discredit Dr. Blasey Ford
Even After Multiple Credible Accusations, Top Anti-Choice Advocacy Organizations Stand By Kavanaugh At All Costs
The GOP has now shown their willingness to do anything—including ignore multiple sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh and allow survivors of sexual assault to be degraded and even attacked—in order to put Kavanaugh on the bench since he is a sure-fire vote to gut Roe, criminalize abortion, and punish women.
Majority of Kentucky Voters Believe Abortion Should Be Legal
A new Public Policy Polling survey finds that a majority of voters in Kentucky (59%) believe abortion should be legal and that the government should not prevent a woman from making the decision whether or not to have an abortion for herself.
The Conservative Refrain Claiming Their Nominees Are Like “Umpires”
Every conservative nominee to the Supreme Court since Clarence Thomas has been compared to an umpire as part of a carefully-orchestrated GOP messaging strategy.
How to Respond to Tough Questions and Avoid Anti-Choice Traps
Disinformation, charged rhetoric, and false information are flying around abortion—especially the rare cases of abortion later in pregnancy—and post-birth palliative care. To rebut these claims, research shows that the most effective value we can communicate is that of supporting parent.
Senators Who Claim to be Allies to Women Cannot Vote to Confirm Brett Kavanaugh in Light of New Sexual Assault Allegations
In light of breaking reports that Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford, NARAL Pro-Choice America has compiled the information below detailing how Senators have publicly condemned sexual assault and, in some cases, supported legislation to protect women and victims of sexual violence.
Kavanaugh’s Conservative, Anti-Choice Backers Have Not Been Able To Translate Their Millions Into Grassroots Energy
Brett Kavanaugh is an incredibly unpopular Supreme Court pick whose polling numbers have been consistently underwater and are still falling. Anti-choice and conservative groups are spending over $30 million to prop up his failing campaign.
Public Strongly Opposes Dangerous GOP Personhood Language in Tax Bill
As the anti-choice GOP continues to use backdoor tactics to roll back our fundamental rights, polling shows that voters are overwhelmingly with us and reject their agenda handily.
How American Anti-Choice Activists are Trying to Influence Ireland’s Abortion Referendum on May 25
For decades, anti-choice organizations based in the U.S. have been working to preserve Ireland’s 8th Amendment of its constitution, which effectively bans abortion, showcasing just how far these groups will go to try to strip women -- not just in the U.S., but also abroad -- of their right to make decisions about their own bodies, future...
2018 Who Decides? The Status of Women’s Reproductive Rights in the United States
Pro-choice measures enacted during 2017 cover wide-ranging topics, from measures to improve contraceptive access, including requirements that health-insurance plans cover 12 months of contraception at once, to policies that promote healthy childbearing, to measures that protect pregnant women in the workplace.
NARAL California Poll on Reproductive Rights in Race for California Governor
Support for women’s rights and reproductive freedom play an important role in 80% of Californians’ electoral decisions, with women ranking them as one of the the three most important issues affecting their vote in the gubernatorial and other elections.
The Insidious Power of the Anti-Choice Movement
The anti-choice movement has spent decades finding new ways to insinuate themselves into our government, our policies, and our politics. They’ve been working tirelessly to build political power and pursued small victories that help stack the deck in their favor.
2017 Who Decides? The Status of Women’s Reproductive Rights in the United States
This report summarizes the state of women's access to reproductive-health care nationwide, including legislation enacted in the states in 2016.
NARAL PPFA 2014 post-election polling
A new NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund survey in four key Senate battleground states demonstrates that voters support women’s reproductive health, want to support candidates who do as well , and will vote on the issue.
2016 Elections at a Glance
How many members of Congress and governors support and oppose reproductive freedom? Find out where this stands now and how it changed from the before the 2016 elections.
Public Opinion Update: A Look at America’s Pro-Choice Majority
A summary of recent public opinion polls on reproductive health care.
National Survey on Support for Abortion Access
68.7% of respondents agreed with the statement, “I believe having an abortion is morally acceptable and should be legal,” or “I am personally against abortion for myself and my family, but I don’t believe government should prevent a woman from making that decision for herself.”
U.S. Supreme Court Decisions Concerning Reproductive Rights 1927-2018
Learn about important Supreme Court cases related to reproductive freedom.