A recent poll of U.S. adults conducted in January 2026 found that 67% of respondents support legal limits on abortion, including restrictions on when the procedure can be performed, reflecting broad public backing for some level of regulation on the practice. A similar majority also expressed support for laws designed to protect both mothers and unborn children.
The poll surveyed 1,408 adults nationwide, asking about support for legal limits on abortion, restrictions by trimester, and related issues such as protections for healthcare professionals who object to participating in abortions on religious grounds.
Among those surveyed:
- 67% said they favor placing legal limits on abortion, even if the procedure remains available in many circumstances.
- 57% supported limiting elective abortion to at most the first trimester in most situations.
- 63% said that healthcare workers with religious objections should not be required to participate in abortions.
- A strong majority also said laws can be written to protect both the mother and the unborn child.
The poll also found broad support for pregnancy resource centers that provide assistance to expectant mothers and families.
Despite the majority backing limits, the survey indicated that more Americans identify as “pro-choice” than “pro-life.” In the same poll, roughly 62% described themselves as pro-choice, while 37% said they were pro-life.
Director of the Marist Poll, Dr. Barbara L. Carvalho, noted, “Despite the publicly heated debates about abortion, there remains a consensus of opinion on this issue among Americans.” Her remarks underscored a surprising unity beneath the surface of a polarized topic, as reported by The Center Square.
Carvalho told the outlet: “Despite the publicly heated debates about abortion, there remains a consensus of opinion on this issue among Americans.”
Advertisement
“Americans believe abortion should be limited yet include exceptions for rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother,” Carvalho said.
Public opinion on abortion has long been complex. Previous research has shown that while many Americans support abortion being legal in some circumstances, support tends to decline for later stages of pregnancy.
The new data arrive as abortion continues to be a central issue in national political debates, with lawmakers and advocacy groups on both sides citing public opinion in discussions about policy and legislation.
The consistency in public opinion, even after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, suggests that changing legal landscapes have not altered core beliefs. Many Americans still support exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is at risk, reflecting a balance of compassion and constraints. This nuanced perspective challenges the more extreme views from both sides.
Pro-life leaders interpret this as a mandate to advance their agenda. They contend that the data reinforces their efforts to protect unborn life while also offering practical resources to support mothers in need.
“A majority of Americans support legal restrictions on abortion,” Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly said. “At the same time, a growing majority support pregnancy resource centers, which provide assistance to mothers and their children in their time of greatest need,” Kelly added.
He went on to explain that “the Knights of Columbus’ mission will continue to be guided by” principles of the sanctity of life “until abortion becomes unthinkable.”
Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, celebrated the momentum of the post-Roe era as a restoration of power to the people through democratic processes. She highlighted that nearly half of states now have laws protecting life by the end of the first trimester, which is a significant victory.
“Roe’s imposition of abortion on demand across the country by seven unelected men is finally overturned, the power to protect babies in the womb and their mothers has been returned to the people and the democratic process, and 20 states have laws in effect protecting life at least by the first trimester,” she told The Center Square.
“But the end of Roe was not the end of our work by far,” Dannenfelser noted further.
