But when asked directly if he would restrict legislation limiting abortion rights if such a bill came to him from Congress, the Republican challenger's response was less clear cut.
"I think I've said time and again that I'm a pro-life candidate and I'll be a pro-life president," Romney told reporters at a campaign event in Ohio when asked about his remarks to The Des Moines Register.
During a campaign stop in the battleground state of Iowa, he had told the paper: "There's no legislation with regards to abortion that I'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda."
With Romney campaigning in key battlegrounds Iowa, Ohio and North Carolina this week, and polls showing Obama ahead among women, analysts said the Republican nominee was tempering his pro-life position in order to attract undecided and women voters less than four weeks from the November 6 vote.
While dodging the abortion legislation question Wednesday, Romney said he would act "immediately... to remove funding for Planned Parenthood," a non-profit group that performs abortions as part of its broader mandate of providing women's health care.
"It will not be part of my budget," he added.
"And also I've indicated I'll reverse the Mexico City position of the president. I will reinstate the Mexico City Policy."
In the early days of his presidency, Obama rescinded the rule, which prohibited non-profit groups from receiving federal government funds that went to providing abortions in other countries.
