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⁾