Reductions to 1973 levels?
The problem I see with keeping it legal is that there are still going to be women - not the majority of those who procure abortions, but a certain percentage nonetheless - who are just plain selfish and think nothing of killing their babies. Informed consent and waiting periods will not stop them, but making it illegal might just make them think twice about it.
As for those who are merely desperate, there would still be pregnancy crisis centers for them to go to that could help them through their situation. And the fact that there are plenty of couples willing to adopt should help take the pressure off them. It's different now than in 1973 in that pregnancy doesn't have the same stigma as it did then. That means that there'd be less pressure for the woman to terminate the pregnancy so as to hide the fact that she ever became pregnant, which I'd guess was probably the largest factor contributing to illicit abortions pre-Roe.
Oh, yes, and far below those levels, IMO, if the correct policies are in place. And keep in mind, too, that the overall US abortion rate has been declining quite steadily over the last decade as it is. Whether because of increased contraceptive access and knowledge, or abstinence education, or pro-life cultural influence, or all of these factors.
The problem I see with keeping it legal is that there are still going to be women - not the majority of those who procure abortions, but a certain percentage nonetheless - who are just plain selfish and think nothing of killing their babies.
You're quite right. I know of women who use abortion for birth control, and I know of women who've had a single abortion and feel horrible about it. But an abortion ban will affect all, not just a few. My position is that there are better ways to deal with the problem that should be given a chance.