Legal, illegal, professional, amateur, and self-induced. Abortion can be deadly, no matter what the setting or who is doing the deed.

The stories below tell about women who died from abortions. The stories come from court documents, medical journal articles, autopsy reports, news stories, and online sources. The dates range from the 18th century to the 21st century. The abortionists were mostly doctors, though a few were lay abortionists, some were posing as physicians, and a few were the woman herself.

Because most of American history pre-dates the legalization of abortion, most of these deaths also pre-date the legalization of abortion. The one thing all these stories share is this: Each woman died at the hands of somebody who bought into the idea that women and their unborn children are mortal enemies, and that abortion is a solution to women’s problems.

Women deserve better.

By name:

Abortion Deaths – A
Abortion Deaths – B
Abortion Deaths – C
Abortion Deaths – D
Abortion Deaths – E
Abortion Deaths – F
Abortion Deaths – G

Abortion Deaths – H
Abortion Deaths – I
Abortion Deaths – J
Abortion Deaths – K
Abortion Deaths – L
Abortion Deaths – M
Abortion Deaths – N

Abortion Deaths – O
Abortion Deaths – P-Q
Abortion Deaths – R
Abortion Deaths – S
Abortion Deaths – T
Abortion Deaths – U-V
Abortion Deaths W-Z
Jane Doe/Jane Roe Abortion Deaths

By time frame:

• The Colonial Era
• The 19th Century

• The 1900s
• The 1910s
• The 1920s
• The 1930s
• The 1940s
• The 1950s
• The 1960s
• The 1970s
• The 1980s
• The 1990s

• The 2000s
• The 2010s

The following women are elsewhere misidentified as abortion deaths:

• Becky Bell September 16, 1988 Age: 18
• Pearl Bryan, February 1, 1896 Age: 22
• Eva Clifton, November 18, 1942 Age: 31
• Pearl Kilday, January 24, 1912 Age: 34
• Nadine DuPont, January 21, 1984, age 24
• Pauline Shirley, August 22, 1940 Age: 29
• Agnes Wendt, November 6, 1923 Age 35