Abortion

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An abortion is the premature termination of pregnancy ending in the death of the embryo or fetus. A pregnancy that ends early, but where the embryo or fetus survives to be born as an infant is instead a premature birth. In medicine, the following terms are used to define an abortion:

Related Topics:
Pregnancy - Embryo - Fetus - Born - Infant - Premature birth - Medicine

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• 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 physical or mental health risk to the pregnant woman (gravida).
• Elective abortion: An abortion perfomed for any other reason.

In common parlance, the term "abortion" is used exclusively for induced abortion.

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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.

Related Topics:
Ethics - Morality - Debate - United States of America - Canada - Europe

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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.

Related Topics:
Humans - Strict - Dictionary definition

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Abortion: Abortion terminology ►