An abortion is the premature termination of pregnancy ending in the death of the embryo or fetus. In medical science, all terminations of pregnancy not resulting in childbirth are defined as abortions. In common parlance, the terms miscarriage or stillbirth are applied to spontaneous (non-induced) abortions. The ethics and morality of induced abortion have become the subject of an intense debate in the past 50 years in various areas of the world, including the United States of America, Canada and a number of countries in Europe. While abortions can be performed and occur in any animal that gives birth, this article focuses exclusively on abortions performed upon humans. Unless otherwise specified, this article shall use strict dictionary definitions of related terminology, as opposed to colloquial or implied meanings. A pregnant woman Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or feti by female mammals or by humans inside their bodies. ... Embryos (and one tadpole) of the wrinkled frog (Rana rugosa). ... Fetus at eight weeks A fetus (alternatively foetus or fœtus) is an unborn vertebrate offspring after the embryonary stage. ... See drugs, medication, and pharmacology for substances that are used to treat patients. ... Childbirth (also called labour, birth, or parturition) is the culmination of a human pregnancy with the emergence of a newborn infant from its mothers uterus. ... Miscarriage is the common term for the natural or accidental termination of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or the fetus is incapable of surviving. ... The expected result of pregnancy is the birth of a living child. ... Ethics is the branch of axiology – one of the four major branches of philosophy, alongside metaphysics, epistemology, and logic – which attempts to understand the nature of morality; to define that which is right from that which is wrong. ... Morality in the strictest sense of the word, deals with that which is universally regarded as right or wrong. ... Debate is a formalized system of (usually) logical argument. ... World map showing location of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Binomial name Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Homo sapiens idaltu (extinct) Homo sapiens sapiens Human beings define themselves in biological, social, and spiritual terms. ... In mathematical writing, the adjective strict is used in to modify technical terms which have multiple meanings. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Abortion terminology

The intense and virulent debate surrounding the subject of abortion has created a number of linguistic pitfalls, where the use of certain terms carries implications beyond their actual definition. A common example of these linguistic traps is the use of the word "human", which is often used with the word "person" interchangeably. While it is uncontested that an embryo or fetus contains unique DNA and is of the species Homo sapiens, there is intense disagreement as to whether an embryo or fetus is a person. Similar implications surround the use of the terms life and death. In biology, life and death are applied to all levels of the organism, from individual cells, to organs, to the whole organism. The term "life" and the term "existence" are frequently used interchangeably, and can imply that an embryo that is "alive" is not merely existent, but is a person. The term unborn is also frequently used to refer to the embryo or fetus. Often this is in the context of "unborn child" or "unborn baby". The use of the term "unborn" is controversial because of its frequent use in the abortion debate. Broadly conceived, linguistics is the study of human language, and a linguist is someone who engages in this study. ... Figures of speech and shorthands are called terms of language. ... Look up Definition in Wiktionary, the free dictionary For alternative meanings see definition (disambiguation) A definition may be a statement of the essential properties of a certain thing, or a statement of equivalence between a term and that terms meaning. ... Binomial name Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Homo sapiens idaltu (extinct) Homo sapiens sapiens Human beings define themselves in biological, social, and spiritual terms. ... In colloquial English, person is often synonymous with human. ... In predicate logic and technical fields that depend on it, uniqueness quantification, or unique existential quantification, is an attempt to formalise the notion of something being true for exactly one thing, or exactly one thing of a certain type. ... Space-filling model of a section of DNA molecule Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions specifying the biological development of all cellular forms of life (and many viruses). ... In colloquial English, person is often synonymous with human. ... Life is a multi-faceted concept. ... In Western culture, skeletons are often the symbol of death. ... A cell is a single unit or compartment, enclosed by a border or wall. ... An organ is the following: In anatomy, an organ is a group of tissues which perform some function. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Fetus at eight weeks A fetus (alternatively foetus or fœtus) is an unborn human offspring from the end of the 8th week of pregnancy (when the major structures have formed) until birth. ... A controversy is a contentious dispute, a disagreement over which parties are actively arguing. ... An abortion is the premature termination of pregnancy ending in the death of the embryo or fetus. ...

In medicine, the following terms are used to define an abortion: Medicine on the Web NLM (National Library of Medicine, contains resources for patients and healthcare professionals) Virtual Hospital (digital health sciences library by the University of Iowa) Online Medical Dictionary Collection of links to free medical resources Categories: Medicine | Health ...

• Spontaneous abortion: An abortion due to accidental trauma or natural causes. Also known as a stillbirth or miscarriage.
• Induced abortion: Deliberate (human induced) abortion. Induced abortions are further subcategorized into therapeutic abortions and elective abortions.
  • Therapeutic abortion: An abortion perfomed because the pregnancy poses health risk to the pregnant woman (gravida).
  • Elective abortion: An abortion perfomed for any other reason.

Miscarriage is the common term for the natural or accidental termination of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or the fetus is incapable of surviving. ... A pregnant woman, or gravida Human pregnancy refers to the process by which a human female carries a live offspring from conception until it develops to the point where the offspring is capable of living outside the womb. ...

Spontaneous abortion

For more details on this topic, see miscarriage.

Spontaneous abortions, known more commonly as miscarriages, occur frequently. Up to 78% of all conceptions may fail, in most cases even before pregnancy is confirmed. 15% of all confirmed pregnancies end in a miscarriage. Most miscarriages occur very early in a pregnancy. Since early embryonic development is a very mistake-ridden process, the body will spontaneously abort if a fetus is not viable (i.e., due to genetic deformities, such as most cases of trisomy), or when the womb is unable to support the development of the fetus. A spontaneous abortion can be caused by accidental trauma, while trauma with the intent to cause miscarriage is considered an induced abortion. Some states have laws increasing the criminal liability of a person who causes a miscarriage during an assault or other violent crime. Miscarriage is the common term for the natural or accidental termination of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or the fetus is incapable of surviving. ... Embryogenesis is the process by which the embryo is formed and develops. ... A trisomy means the presence of three (instead of the normal two) chromosomes of a particular numbered type in an organism. ... Trauma can represent: A serious and often body-altering physical injury, such as the removal of a limb. ... The term state may refer to: a sovereign political entity, see state unitary state nation state a non-sovereign political entity, see state (non-sovereign). ...

Induced abortions

The term "abortion" is usually used by lay people to refer to induced abortion. Induced abortions are sought for a number of reasons, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, there were 1.31 million abortions in the US in 2000, and cases of rape or incest accounted for 1.0% of abortions in 2000. Women from 27 nations reported the following reasons for seeking an induced abortion:^[1] Alan Guttmacher Institute This organization is a research institute that advocates wide availability of birth control and abortion services. ...

• 25.5% – Want to postpone childbearing
• 21.3% – Cannot afford a baby
• 14.1% – Has relationship problem or partner does not want pregnancy
• 12.2% – Too young; parent(s) or other(s) object to pregnancy
• 10.8% – Having a child will disrupt education or job
•   7.9% – Want no (more) children
•   3.3% – Risk to fetal health
•   2.8% – Risk to maternal health
•   2.1% – Rape, incest, other

In many areas of the world, especially the developing nations or where induced abortions are illegal, many women choose or are forced to perform abortions on themselves. These self-induced abortions are commonly unsafe abortions as described by the World Health Organization. Furthermore, some abortions are induced because of societal or legal pressure, such as under China's one-child policy. These policies and societal pressures can lead to sex-selective abortion and infanticide, which is illegal in most countries, but difficult to stop. The term baby can refer to: an infant a very early computer—the Small-Scale Experimental Machine, nicknamed Baby a musician – Brian Williams – who performs under the name Baby. ... A male Caucasian toddler child A child (plural: children) is a young human. ... Job is a term used to identify a means of daily work used in acquiring funds for living. ... A male Caucasian toddler child A child (plural: children) is a young human. ... Fetus at eight weeks A fetus (alternatively foetus or fœtus) is an embryo in later stages of development, from the third month of pregnancy until birth in humans. ... Mother with her child (Sculpture) A mother is typically the biological or social female parent of a child or offspring while the male parent is the father. ... A self-induced abortion is an abortion that a pregnant woman causes herself to have without direct medical aid. ... Unsafe Abortions Unsafe Abortions is a significant cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the world, especialy in the developing countries (95% of unsafe abortions take place in developing countries). ... The WHO flag: similar to the flag of the United Nations, augmented with the symbolic staff and serpent of Asklepios, Greek god of medicine and healing. ... The one-child policy is the current birth control policy in the mainland of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Sex-selective abortion is the practice of aborting a fetus after a determination (usually by ultrasound but also rarely by amniocentesis or another procedure) that the fetus is an undesired sex, typically female. ...

Methods of inducing abortion

Depending on the gestational age of the embryo or fetus, different methods of abortion can be performed to remove the embryo or fetus from the womb.

Chemical abortion

For more details on this topic, see Chemical abortion.

Chemical abortion, clinically known as medical abortion, comprises 10% of all abortions in the United States and Europe. Chemical abortion is a method used to induce abortion during the first trimester. Chemical abortion is accomplished by administering either methotrexate or mifepristone (RU-486) followed by administration of misoprostol. About 8% of medical abortions require surgical follow-up, usually by vacuum aspiration (See below). Methotrexate may also treat undiagnosed or concomitant tubal pregnancies. A chemical abortion is a type of abortion in which a drug is used to induce the abortion, rather than a surgical procedure. ... A chemical abortion is a type of abortion in which a drug is used to induce the abortion, rather than a surgical procedure. ... For the term trimester used in academic settings, see Academic term The human gestation period of approximately 40 weeks between the time of the last menstrual cycle and delivery is traditionally divided into three periods of three months, or trimesters. ... Methotrexate (abbreviated MTX; formerly known as amethopterin) is an antimetabolite drug used in treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease. ... Mifepristone is a synthetic steroid. ... Misoprostol is a prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) analogue used for the treatment and prevention of stomach ulcers. ... An ectopic pregnancy is one in which the fertilized ovum is implanted in any tissue other than the uterine wall. ...

Surgical abortion

In the first fifteen weeks, suction-aspiration or vacuum abortion are the most common methods, replacing the more risky dilation and curettage (D & C). Manual vacuum aspiration, or MVA abortion, consists of removing the fetus or embryo by suction using a manual syringe, while the Electric vacuum aspiration or EVA abortion method uses suction produced by an electric pump to remove the fetus or embryo. From the fifteenth week up until around the eighteenth week, a surgical dilation and evacuation (D & E) is used. D & E consists of opening the cervix of the uterus and emptying it using surgical instruments and suction. Suction-aspiration abortion is a form of abortion using suction aspiration, taking the fetus out of the womb and usualy taking it apart. ... Dilation and curettage is a gynaecological procedure performed on the female reproductive system. ... Manual vacuum aspiration is a form of abortion using a manual vacuum. ... Fetus at eight weeks A fetus (alternatively foetus or fœtus) is an unborn vertebrate offspring after the embryonary stage. ... Embryos (and one tadpole) of the wrinkled frog (Rana rugosa). ... A syringe consists of a plunger fitted to a tube, called the barrel, which has a small opening on one end. ... A form of abortion using electric vacuum aspiration. ... A pump is a mechanical device used to move liquids or gases. ... Fetus at eight weeks A fetus (alternatively foetus or fœtus) is an unborn vertebrate offspring after the embryonary stage. ... Embryos (and one tadpole) of the wrinkled frog (Rana rugosa). ... Dilation and evacuation is a form of abortion using dilation and evacuation. ... Female internal reproductive anatomy Close up view of the ectocervix and external os Schematic frontal view of female anatomy The cervix (from Latin neck) is actually the lower, narrow portion of the uterus where it joins with the top end of the vagina. ... Female internal reproductive anatomy The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ...

Dilation and suction curettage consists of emptying the uterus by suction using a different apparatus. Curettage refers to the cleaning of the walls of the uterus with a curette. Dilation and curettage (D & C) is a standard gynaecological procedure performed for a variety of reasons, such as examination. These abortions are usually done before 12 weeks. ... Female internal reproductive anatomy The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ... In surgery, the use of a curette to remove tissue by scraping or scooping. ... Female internal reproductive anatomy The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ... Noun A spoon-shaped surgical instrument for cleaning a diseased surface. ... Dilation and curettage is a gynaecological procedure performed on the female reproductive system. ...

As the fetus grows, other techniques must be used to induce abortion in the third trimester. Premature delivery of the human fetus can be induced with prostaglandin; this can be coupled with injecting the amniotic fluid with caustic solutions containing saline or urea. Very late abortions can be brought about by the controversial intact dilation and extraction (intact D & X) which requires the surgical decompression of the fetus's head before evacuation and is controversially termed "partial-birth abortion". A hysterotomy abortion, similar to a caesarian section but ending with a dead fetus, can also be used at late stages of pregnancy. Fetus at eight weeks A fetus (alternatively foetus or fœtus) is an unborn vertebrate offspring after the embryonary stage. ... The human gestation period of approximately 40 weeks between the time of the last menstrual cycle and delivery is traditionally divided into three periods of three months, or trimesters. ... A prostaglandin is any member of a group of lipid compounds that are derived from fatty acids and have important functions in the animal body. ... The amniotic sac is a tough but thin transparent pair of membranes, which hold a developing embryo (and later fetus) until shortly before birth. ... In medicine saline is a solution of sodium chloride in sterile water, used commonly for intravenous infusion, cleaning contact lenses, and nasal irrigation or Jala Neti. ... Urea is an organic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen, with the formula CON2H4 or (NH2)2CO and the structure shown right: Urea is also known as carbamide, especially in the recommended International Non-proprietary Names (rINN) in use in Europe. ... Intact dilation and extraction (IDX or Intact D&X), is a specific type of medical procedure —wherin a late-term miscarried fetus, is removed from the womb via the uterus. ... Partial birth abortion (PBA) refers to most intact dilation and extraction (IDX) procedures, wherein the fetus is alive at the time of the procedure —hence rendering such procedure as an act of aborting a human fetus. ... Hysterotomy abortion is a form of abortion, similar to a caesarian abortion. ... A caesarean section (cesarean section AE), is a surgical incision through a mothers abdomen (laparotomy) and uterus (hysterotomy) to deliver one or more fetuses. ...

Other means of abortion

Certain herbs are considered by some to be effective abortifacients. Using herbs in this way can cause serious side effects, including multiple organ failure and other serious injury, and are not recommended by physicians.^[2] Many herbal recipes were compiled and published in medieval times under the name of Peter of Spain. An abortifacient is a substance that induces abortion. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Peter of Spain (thirteenth century) is a Spanish author of Tractatus a standard textbook on logic, and until recently credited with a number of works on medicine. ...

Physical trauma to a pregnant woman's womb can cause an abortion. The severity of the impact required to cause an abortion carries high risk of injury to the pregnant woman, without necessarily inducing a miscarriage. Both accidental and deliberate abortions of this kind carry criminal liability in many countries.^[3] Miscarriage is the common term for the natural or accidental termination of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or the fetus is incapable of surviving. ...

Health risks

Even in regulated legal clinics, there is a small risk of serious complications from the most common surgical abortion procedures. These risks include perforated uterus, septic shock, sterility, and death. The exact risk and type of complications depend on the abortion method as well as the clinical and hygienic conditions. The risks of abortion should be counterpointed to the risks of childbirth. Female internal reproductive anatomy The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ... Septic shock is a serious medical condition causing such effects as multiple organ failure and death in response to infection and sepsis. ... Sterility is the quality or state of being unable to reproduce. ... In Western culture, skeletons are often the symbol of death. ...

Studies have found that in developed countries where abortion is legal, the risk of serious physical complications of an abortion is less than 1%. In countries where abortion is illegal, this percentage is much higher, although the exact figure is unknown. This is likely due to the inherently dangerous nature of unregulated illegal surgery by doctors of dubious skill or by persons with no or insufficient medical training.

Use of "traditional medicine" methods (e.g., overdoses of various drugs and inserting various objects into uterus) for abortions is also dangerous. Serious complications from abortions done outside of professional clinics may include infections, bleeding, and in many cases lead to death.

Physical health

• Main article: Abortion-breast cancer (ABC) hypothesis

The controversial abortion-breast cancer (ABC) hypothesis posits an association between having an abortion and a higher risk of developing breast cancer. The proposed mechanism is based on the increased estrogen levels found during early pregnancy, which initiate cellular differentiation (growth) in the breast in preparation for lactation. The ABC hypothesis states that if the pregnancy is aborted before full differentiation in the third trimester, then more "vulnerable" undifferentiated cells would be left than prior to the pregnancy, resulting in an elevated risk of breast cancer. The majority of interview-based studies have indicated a link, some are statistically significant, but there is debate as to their reliability.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it is "well established" that "induced abortion is not associated with an increase in breast cancer risk." Those findings have been disputed by Dr. Brind, a leading scientific advocate of the ABC hypothesis. Nevertheless, gaps and inconsistencies remain in the research as the "ABC link" continues to be a politicized issue.

• A specific and undisputed complication that can arise, especially with repeated abortions by a dilatation and curettage, is the development of Asherman syndrome.

The abortion-breast cancer (ABC) hypothesis posits an association between having an abortion and a higher risk of developing breast cancer. ... Breast cancer is cancer of breast tissue. ... Estrogens (or oestrogens) are a group of steroid compounds that function as the primary female sex hormone. ... A pregnant woman Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or feti by female mammals or by humans inside their bodies. ... Cellular differentiation is a concept from developmental biology describing the process by which cells acquire a type. The morphology of a cell may change dramatically during differentiation, but the genetic material remains the same, with few exceptions. ... A pair of female breasts The term breast can refer to the upper ventral region of an animals torso, particularly that of mammals, including human beings. ... A breastfeeding infant Breastfeeding is the practice of a woman feeding an infant (or sometimes a toddler or a young child) with milk produced from her mammary glands, usually directly from the nipples. ... A hypothesis (assumption in ancient Greek) is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. ... The human gestation period of approximately 40 weeks between the time of the last menstrual cycle and delivery is traditionally divided into three periods of three months, or trimesters. ... Breast cancer is cancer of breast tissue. ... In statistics, a result is significant if it is unlikely to have occurred by chance, given that a presumed null hypothesis is true, but is not improbable if the null hypothesis is false. ... The National Institutes of Health is an institution of the United States government which focuses on medical research. ... Dr. Joel Brind is a pro-life born again Christian and a leading scientific advocate of the Abortion-Breast Cancer (ABC) hypothesis. ... Dilation and curettage is a gynaecological procedure performed on the female reproductive system. ... Ashermans syndrome , also called uterine synechiae, presents a condition characterized by the presence of scars within the uterine cavity. ...

Mental health

Research has been carried on the question of whether abortion is associated with increased risk of clinical depression, but the results are mixed. Clinical depression is a health condition of depression with mental and physical components reaching criteria generally accepted by clinicians. ...

• According to one study of 1,884 women conducted by the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, women whose first pregnancy ended in abortion are 65% more likely to be diagnosed with clinical depression around eight years later.
• Another study of 2,525 women revealed that women who had an abortion were more likely to report depression or lower satisfaction with their lives. However, they also often reported rape, childhood physical and sexual abuse, and violent partners. After controlling for the history of abuse, partner characteristics, and background variables, abortion was not related to poorer mental health.^[4]

• A study in the Medical Science Monitor^[5] stated that, "Consistent with previous research, the data here suggest abortion can increase stress and decrease coping abilities, particularly for those women who have a history of adverse childhood events and prior traumata." In the study, 65% of post-abortive American women and 13.1% of Russian women experienced multiple symptoms of increased arousal, re-experiencing, or avoidance associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the study, 14.3% of American and 0.9 % of Russian women met the full diagnostic criteria for PTSD.^[6] However, in all fairness, not all PTSD is necessarily from abortion. Labor Law Talk has this commentary on the paper: "In keeping with the paper, it should however be noted that many day to day tasks cause problems for sufferers of PTSD, especially as a result of child abuse. Visits to dentists are often a problem, but women often still try to get to them and to avoid all events in life that might lead to re-traumatization." [7]

Clinical depression is a health condition of depression with mental and physical components reaching criteria generally accepted by clinicians. ... ‹The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Spousal abuse is the term applied to the specific form of domestic violence, where physical or sexual abuse is perpetuated by one spouse upon another. ... The Scream, the famous painting commonly thought of as depicting the experience of mental illness. ... Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is a term for the psychological consequences of exposure to or confrontation with stressful experiences, which involve actual or threatened death, serious physical injury or a threat to physical integrity and which the person found highly traumatic. ...

Emergency contraception

For more details on this topic, see Emergency contraception.

Emergency contraception refers to forms of birth control that can be used after sexual intercourse. Birth control primarily prevents pregnancy by preventing fertilization. However, some forms of birth control, especially if used immediately prior to or after intercourse, can potentially prevent implantation of a fertalized egg, causing the death of the embryo. Those who believe that life starts at conception consider this morally equivalent to an abortion. The most controversial of these forms of emergency contraception is currently the morning-after pill, which is legal in a number of countries and has recently been legalized in the United States and in Canada. Emergency contraception or EC also known as Emergency Birth Control or EBC refers to any type of contraception that is taken after sexual intercourse without contraception, or otherwise where such contraception is believed to have failed (e. ... Birth control is a regimen of one or more extra actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelyhood of a woman becoming pregnant. ... Categories: Biology stubs ... Implantation occurs when a fertilized zygote attaches itself onto the lining of the uterus. ... Categories: Biology stubs ... Emergency contraception or EC refers to any type of contraception that is taken after unprotected sexual intercourse or after sexual intercourse during which the primary contraception is believed to have failed (e. ...

History of abortion

For more details on this topic, see History of abortion.

According to anthropologist George Devereux, (induced) abortion has occurred from ancient times forward. Abortions were induced with sharpened sticks, poisonous herbs, abdominal pressure, special exercises, and other techniques. Many ancient texts contain specific recipes for abortificants, or even descriptions of specialized medical instruments designed to remove a fetus from the womb. Along with changes in medical science, there have been changes in the societal norms and laws that governed abortion. Historically, the ethicality of abortion (induced abortion) was rarely discussed. ... See Anthropology. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... See drugs, medication, and pharmacology for substances that are used to treat patients. ... Fetus at eight weeks A fetus (alternatively foetus or fœtus) is an unborn vertebrate offspring after the embryonary stage. ... Female internal reproductive anatomy The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ... In sociology, a norm, or social norm, is a pattern of behavior expected within a particular society in a given situation. ...

The debate

Main article: Abortion debate

Throughout the history of abortion, induced abortions have always been a source of considerable debate and controversy regarding the morality and legality of abortion. An individual's position on the complex ethical, moral, and legal issues has a strong relationship with that a given individual's value system. A person's position on abortion may be best described as a combination of their personal beliefs on the morality of induced abortion, and that person's beliefs on the ethical limit of the government's (and thus law's) legitimate authority. Throughout the history of abortion, induced abortions have always been a source of considerable debate and controversy. ... Historically, the ethicality of abortion (induced abortion) was rarely discussed. ... Debate is a formalized system of (usually) logical argument. ... Look up Controversy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary A controversy is a contentious dispute, a disagreement in opinions over which parties are actively arguing. ... Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. ... Morality is a complex of principles based on cultural, religious, and philosophical concepts and beliefs, by which an individual determines whether his or her actions are right or wrong. ... This article is about law in society. ... A value system is in essence the ordering and prioritization of the ethical and ideological values that an individual or society holds. ... In politics, authority generally refers to the ability to make laws, independent of the power to enforce them, or the ability to permit something. ...

In debate, whether friendly discussion or political positioning, the arguments on abortion usually seek to change either an individual's beliefs on the correctness of an induced abortion, or the individual's beliefs on the correctness of laws permitting or restricting abortion. Arguments on morality and legality tend to conflux, confusing the issue at hand. Belief is assent to a proposition. ... This article is about law in society. ...

Abortion debates, especially pertaining to the legal ramifications of abortion laws, are often spearheaded by advocacy groups. These groups tend to fall into one of at least two camps, with people in favour of legal abortion being described as pro-choice, while those against legal abortion are described as pro-life. Both pro-choice and pro-life are loaded terms, designed to make opposition unappealing (anti-choice and anti-life). For example, the inducing of abortion itself is alternately referred to as a "procedure" by some and "murder" by others with differing views. Likewise, the use of the word "choice" is often considered controversial, regarding who should and does have a choice, the embryo/fetus, the woman, or someone else? Individuals are also usually classified or self-described as pro-choice or pro-life, despite the range of intermediate opinions. See also list of pro-choice organizations and list of pro-life organizations. Advocacy is an umbrella term for organized activism related to a particular set of issues. ... Pro-Choice is a common self-description used by people who believe that the choice of terminating pregnancy should be a a protected legal option for a pregnant woman. ... Pro-life demonstrators at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. on January 22, 2002. ... A language construct, such as a word or a question, is said to be loaded if it carries meaning or implications beyond its strict definition (its denotation). ...

Political sides have largely been separated into absolute extremes —either seeking to make all abortion illegal, or to permanently remove laws restricting all forms of abortion. Likewise, debate tends to center around individuals with strong positions, and pro-choice and pro-life advocates. Moral absolutism is the position that there are absolute standards against which moral questions can be judged, and that certain actions are right or wrong, regardless of the context of the act. ... Pro-Choice is a common self-description used by people who believe that the choice of terminating pregnancy should be a a protected legal option for a pregnant woman. ... Pro-life demonstrators at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. on January 22, 2002. ...

In spite of these polarising absolutes, most people hold an intermediate position, deciding the merits of abortion based on the circumstances. For example, in a 2003 poll, 61% of U.S. respondents were opposed to legal abortion on the grounds "the woman or family cannot afford to raise the child," while eighty-five percent indicated abortion should be legal "when the mother's life is endangered."[8][9]

Related topics

• Adoption
• Abortion in the United States
• Abortion in Canada
• History of abortion
• Morality and legality of abortion
• Partial-birth abortion
• Religion and abortion
• Sex-selective abortion and infanticide
• Selective reduction
• Self-induced abortion
• Pregnancy

Adoption is the legal act of permanently placing a child with a parent or parents other than the birth parents. ... The issue of abortion in the United States is a highly charged issue with significant political and ethical debate. ... Canada is one of only a few countries in the world with no laws limiting abortion. ... Historically, the ethicality of abortion (induced abortion) was rarely discussed. ... The morality and legality of abortion is a highly controversial issue in the United States and United Kingdom —abortion referring to both the separate act as well as the social sanction for the practice of terminating the life of a fetal being While the abortion debate is typically within the... Partial birth abortion (PBA) refers to most intact dilation and extraction (IDX) procedures, wherein the fetus is alive at the time of the procedure —hence rendering such procedure as an act of aborting a human fetus. ... Many religions place legal or moral limitations on active abortion, for various theological reasons. ... Sex-selective abortion is the practice of aborting a fetus after a determination (usually by ultrasound but also rarely by amniocentesis or another procedure) that the fetus is an undesired sex, typically female. ... Selective reduction (or fetal reduction) is the practice of reducing the number of fetuses in a multifetal pregnancy (i. ... A self-induced abortion is an abortion that a pregnant woman causes herself to have without direct medical aid. ... A pregnant woman Pregnancy is the carrying of one or more embryos or feti by female mammals or by humans inside their bodies. ...

Sources

• ^  Bankole, Akinrinola; Singh, Susheela; Haas, Taylor. "Reasons Why Women Have Induced Abortions: Evidence from 27 Countries." International Family Planning Perspectives, 1998
• ^  Moreau, C. et al, "Previous induced abortions and the risk of very preterm delivery", BJOG. 2005; 112(4):430-7
• ^  http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/05/15/nabort15.xml
• ^  Denious, J. & Russo, N. F. (2000). The Socio-Political Context of Abortion and its Relationship to Women's Mental Health. In J. Ussher (Ed.). Women's Health: Contemporary International Perspectives (pp. 431-439). London: British Psychological Society.
• ^  http://www.medscimonit.com/medscimonit/index.php - Medical Science Monitor
• ^  Vincent Rue, Priscilla Coleman, James Rue, David Reardon (2004). Induced abortion and traumatic stress: A preliminary comparison of American and Russian women. Med Sci Monit, 2004; 10(10): SR5-16
• ^  Ciganda C, Laborde A., "Herbal infusions used for induced abortion", J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 2003; 41(3):235-9
• ^  Education For Choice – Unsafe abortion

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations by or about:

Abortion

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikiquote is a sister project of Wikipedia, using the same MediaWiki software. ...

Pro-life links

• Just Facts: Abortion
• Unsafe Abortion Today
• Excerpts from Embryology Textbooks
• Feminists for Life
• Vatican II: Gaudium et Spes, paragraph 51 – Official Catholic Doctrine
• CareNet
• National Right to Life

Pro-choice links

• Planned Parenthood
• The Alan Guttmacher Institute
• Catholics For A Free Choice - (Not an official Catholic organization)
• The National Coalition of Abortion Providers
• WomenonWaves.org
• National Abortion Federation
• Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice