Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removing an embryo or fetus before it is able to live outside of the uterus.1)
Miscarriage is another term for an abortion that happens spontaneously.2)
When intentional actions are used to stop a pregnancy, it is referred to as an induced abortion or, less commonly, a “induced miscarriage”.3)
The term abortion is frequently used to refer to exclusively induced abortions. A comparable surgery performed after the fetus has the capacity to live outside the womb is known as a “late termination of pregnancy”, or, less precisely, a “late term abortion”.4)
Abortion is one of the safest medical treatments in the industrialized world when it is legal. Abortion is now performed via medication or surgery.5)
During the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, the medication mifepristone in conjunction with prostaglandin looks to be as safe and successful as surgery.6)
The most typical surgical approach is dilatation of the cervix and the use of a suction device.7)
Birth control methods, such as the pill or intrauterine devices, can be used immediately after an abortion.8)
The World Health Organization advises that all women have access to safe and legal abortions.9)
Every year, over 56 million abortions are performed worldwide, with about 45% conducted in a hazardous manner.10)
Abortions have historically been tried using herbal remedies, sharp equipment, strong massage, or other conventional means.11)
Abortion legislation and cultural or religious perspectives on abortion vary by country. In certain regions, abortion is permissible only in certain circumstances, such as rape, fetal abnormalities, poverty, a woman's health risk, or incest.12)
Those who oppose abortion frequently argue that an embryo or fetus is a human being with a right to life, and hence compare abortion to murder. Those who support the legalization of abortion frequently believe that a woman has the right to make decisions regarding her own body. Others advocate for abortion to be legal and accessible as a public health strategy.13)
An induced abortion might be therapeutic (performed in response to a medical issue in the woman or fetus) or elective (chosen for other reasons).14)
Miscarriage, also known as spontaneous abortion, is the unintended ejection of an embryo or baby before the 24th week of gestation.15)