The world of television has seen a concerning shift in its portrayal of abortion this year, with a notable decline in characters choosing to terminate their pregnancies. This trend is highlighted in the annual Abortion Onscreen report, a decade-long study by Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health at the University of California San Francisco.
The report reveals a 14% drop in characters obtaining abortions on TV, with only 37% of them taking this path in 2025. Researcher Steph Herold believes this reflects a deep-rooted stigma surrounding abortion, even in the supposedly liberal Hollywood.
"It's a profound lack of accurate representation," Herold says. She points out that research shows about 60% of Americans seeking abortions face barriers, yet only a third of characters on screen do. These barriers range from financial constraints to access issues, but TV often overlooks them.
Most TV shows in 2025 focused on legal obstacles, ignoring the financial struggles that are a reality for most abortion patients. In fact, 80% of characters seeking abortions on TV are upper or middle class, while in real life, most patients are struggling financially. This disparity obscures the role of poverty in accessing abortion services.
Another notable difference is the representation of medication abortions. This year, only three out of 65 abortion storylines on TV featured medication abortions, despite research showing they account for the majority of abortions in the US. Additionally, only 8% of characters seeking abortions on TV are parents, whereas most real-life abortion patients already have children.
Herold expresses disappointment at the lack of emotional support portrayed around abortions on TV this year. She highlights shows like Chicago Med, 1923, Breathless, and Secrets We Keep, which emphasize shame and stigma, particularly due to religious beliefs. These storylines fail to represent the diversity of religious observance among people having abortions and only associate religion with prohibiting abortion.
Despite abortion being a politically charged issue, Herold emphasizes that millions of Americans have personal experiences with abortion, whether directly or through supporting loved ones. She believes diverse abortion storylines will resonate with many viewers.
On a positive note, television is improving its representation of the racial realities of abortion. While people of color are still underrepresented in abortion storylines, their presence has increased significantly from a decade ago, when TV predominantly portrayed wealthy white women seeking abortions.
"It's a step in the right direction," Herold concludes. "But there's still a long way to go to accurately reflect the experiences of those seeking abortions in America."
And this is the part most people miss: the impact of these portrayals on public perception. With abortion rights under constant threat, the media's role in shaping public opinion cannot be overstated. So, what do you think? Is TV doing enough to represent the reality of abortion, or is it time for a more accurate and diverse portrayal?
