Eight in ten respondents favor U.S. funding for voluntary family planning programs in developing countries. At least 70 percent of every demographic and political subgroup that we surveyed favors such funding. Support for U.S. family planning programs in developing countries appears to be related to the beliefs that it can reduce the number of abortions, that the world is overpopulated, and that rapid population growth is a serious problem, as well as to strong support for humanitar-ian and other economic assistance to developing countries. Opposition to U.S. funding for family planning programs in developing countries appears to stem from opposition to giving economic assistance to other countries, belief that rapid population growth is not a serious problem, and belief that the availability of contraception encourages sexual activity among teenagers and unmarried couples. What limited opposition exists to U.S. funding for family planning does not result from opposition to family planning in general, because at least two-thirds of those who oppose funding family planning abroad favor government and health insurers' support for family planning in the United States.
Abortion remains a central and divisive issue in the population policy arena.
Attitudes about abortion in the United States have been remarkably stable over the last 25 years. About half of the survey respondents opposed abortion either completely or except in cases of rape, incest, and danger to the mother's life. The other half supported a legal right to abortion. Support for abortion appears to stem in part from a belief that legal abortion can save women's lives. Opposition to abortion appears to stem in part from belief that too many women use abortion as a routine means for controlling births and that the availability of legal abortion encourages sexual activity among teenagers and unmarried couples.