How do Americans view chemical abortion? A fresh poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) offered revealing insight.
The KFF Health Tracking Poll was done partly in response to a September letter from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announcing that the FDA would be conducting a safety review of the abortion pill mifepristone. As KFF observed, “Public awareness of the pill and its longstanding safety record is limited.” To address that gap, KFF surveyed American adults to gauge what Americans actually know — and how they feel — about chemical abortion.
Key findings highlighted significant unawareness: While 53% of respondents had heard of mifepristone, just 24% realized it now drives the majority of abortions nationwide. On the drug’s safety, 42% described it as safe “when taken as directed,” with only 18% deeming it unsafe and four in 10 expressing uncertainty. Among women aged 18 to 49, 41% viewed it as safe, 21% as unsafe, and 37% remained unsure. “Notably,” KFF observed, “public perception of the pills’ safety has dropped since 2023, when 55% of the public said abortion pills were safe when taken as directed, 9% viewed them as unsafe, and 35% were not sure.”
The poll’s timing adds context, following President Donald Trump’s signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill on July 4, which temporarily slashed Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood and other abortion businesses for one year. This policy shift led to over 20 Planned Parenthood facility closures — a development celebrated by pro-life advocates. Yet, KFF’s survey claims “that most (65%) of the public oppose banning these clinics from receiving Medicaid payments, while about one-third (35%) support it.” Opposition was strongest among Democrats (83%) and Independents (65%), while Republicans were divided, with 55% in favor and 45% against.
The low awareness of chemical abortion’s grip in U.S. procedures — now over 60% of all abortions — prompts deeper questions about the risks and dangers. Beyond ending the lives of unborn children, studies from groups like the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) show how thousands of women report experiencing severe complications, such as heavy bleeding, infections, and emergency medical interventions following mifepristone use. These concerns have stirred pro-life campaigns to further urge the FDA to restore safety guidelines that were removed by the Biden administration, such as in-person consultations and follow-up protocols. But, in relation to this, what did KFF find?
Despite these documented hazards, KFF’s respondents appeared to largely favor unrestricted access, with a majority opposing legislation that aimed at restricting or banning the pill. Even KFF itself, which purports to be non-partisan, claims that “twenty-five years of mifepristone’s availability in the U.S. has shown the medication is safe when taken as directed by a doctor or other health care provider” — a sharp contrast to the concerns that telehealth expansions, for example, have eroded necessary oversight.
Ultimately, public opinion remains fractured along partisan lines, and widespread unawareness amplifies the stakes. And yet, pro-life voices remain steadfast in their call for stronger protections for the well-being of both mothers and unborn babies. This sentiment was echoed by Family Research Council’s Joy Stockbauer in remarks to The Washington Stand.
“I believe that Americans generally care about the health and well-being of women,” she said. “Unfortunately, the pro-life movement is up against the abortion lobby, which pours endless dollars into messaging campaigns designed to frame abortion as female empowerment. In reality, abortion dehumanizes and harms women and ultimately kills their children. It is vital that we continue speaking up and educating our neighbors about the truth of abortion.”
On fostering cultural change, Stockbauer emphasized patience and persistence. It “isn’t something that happens overnight — it will take consistency, time, and effort.” She highlighted the impact of personal outreach, noting, “Every conversation you have with someone in which you lovingly share the truth about abortion and the alternatives available to women makes a difference.”
Reflecting on the KFF results, Stockbauer viewed them as a milestone, specifically how it “signifies a very positive shift in the culture over the past two years. It notes that now only 42% of the public sees the abortion pill as safe, compared to 55% in 2023. This shift in public opinion is a positive outcome for the pro-life movement and is indicative that our efforts to educate the American people are succeeding.”
From FDA reviews to funding battles, debates over mifepristone continue to unfold. As such, Stockbauer concluded with a call for ongoing action: “Continue volunteering at pregnancy resource centers, engaging in hard conversations with friends and family, and using social media as a positive tool for change.”
