Determining the exact number of abortions performed annually to save the life of the mother in the United States is challenging due to limited and varying data. A 1987-1988 survey reported that approximately 2.8% of women cited risk to maternal health as their reason for seeking an abortion. Another source indicates that about 1.14% of abortions are performed to save the life or physical health of the mother. Given that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 613,383 legal induced abortions in 2022, applying these percentages suggests that between approximately 7,000 and 17,000 abortions annually are performed due to concerns for the mother's life or physical health.
Available studies suggest that pregnancies resulting from incest account for a very small percentage of abortions. For instance, a 2004 study indicated that less than 0.5% of women cited incest as the reason for seeking an abortion. Applying this percentage to the estimated 1,037,000 abortions provided by clinicians in 2023 suggests that approximately 5,000 abortions may have been performed due to incest that year. However, it's important to note that these figures are estimates, and the actual numbers may vary.