NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WordNews.org) Jan. 11, 2013 – Four decades after the Supreme Court legalized abortion nationally in its controversial Roe v. Wade ruling, 83 percent of Americans say they back significant restrictions.

A new KofC-Marist Poll shows support for significant abortion restrictions has increased by 4 points since last year — rising from 79 percent to 83 percent.

And 58 percent believe abortion is morally wrong.

“For years polls have found that Americans divide on labeling themselves as pro-life or pro-choice,” said Lee Miringoff of The Marist Poll. “By asking more detailed questions about their specific views on abortion, we have been able to go beyond those labels to get a more complete picture of what Americans actually think about this issue.”

Of the 83 percent who back significant restrictions on abortion:

* 10 percent believe abortion should never be permitted;

* 12 percent believe abortion should be allowed only to save the life of the mother;

* 34 percent would restrict abortion only to cases of rape or incest, or to save the life of the mother;

* 27 percent would limit abortion to — at most — the first three months of pregnancy;

* 11 percent would allow abortion at any time;

* 6 percent would allow it during the first six months of pregnancy.

“After four decades of legalized abortion in this country, Americans have had ample time to understand that abortion has terrible consequences,” said Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. “They understand abortion’s true legacy — a child loses life, and parents lose a child. And after witnessing the effects of abortion for the past 40 years, Americans are not legally or morally comfortable with that legacy. It is time for our country to chart a new course on this issue — a course that protects both the mother and the child.”

The poll was conducted from Dec. 4-6 and involved 1,246 adults living in the continental United States. It has a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points.