Majority of Americans support abortion restrictions including allowing the procedure only in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of a mother.

A new Knights of Columbus-Marist poll conducted on 1,009 adults from July 5 to 12 showed that eight in 10 Americans are in favour of the restrictions.

A total of 30 percent said abortion should be available only in cases of rape and incest, and to save the life of the mother while 25 percent said it should only be allowed during the first three months of pregnancy.

In addition, 12 percent said abortion should never be allowed under any circumstance, 11 percent are in favour of saving only the life of the mother and 9 percent said it should be allowed in the first six months of pregnancy.

Only 13 percent said abortion should be allowed any time during pregnancy.

"The Americans people have spoken clearly on their desire for abortion restrictions, less taxpayer funding of it, and common sense regulations on this industry to protect women's health. Our courts, politicians, candidates and parties should heed this consensus," said Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson.

Barbara Carvalho, director of the Marist poll, said majority of Americans who support abortion restrictions have been consistently around eight in 10 for the better part of the decade.

"Though self-identification as pro-life or pro-choice can vary substantially from year to year, the support for restrictions is quite stable," he said.

The poll also showed that 62 percent of Americans oppose taxpayer funding for abortion including 45 percent who said they are pro-choice, 65 percent of African Americans, 61 percent of Latinos, 84 percent of Republicans, 61 percent of independents and 44 percent of Democrats.

It also found that 78 percent want abortion clinics to be held to the same standards as outpatient surgery centres while 70 percent said they want abortion doctors to have hospital admitting privileges.

In addition, 56 percent said doctors, nurses and organisation who have moral objections to abortion should not be legally required to perform or provide insurance coverage of abortions.