Abortion is the ending of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus before it can survive outside the uterus.

[note 1]
 An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or spontaneous abortion. When deliberate steps
are taken to end a pregnancy, it is called an induced abortion, or less frequently "induced miscarriage". The unmodified
word abortion generally refers to an induced abortion.[1][2] A similar procedure after the fetus has potential to survive outside
the womb is known as a "late termination of pregnancy" or less accurately as a "late term abortion".[3]
When properly done, abortion is one of the safest procedures in medicine,[4][5] but unsafe abortion is a major cause of maternal
death, especially in the developing world.[6] Making safe abortion legal and accessible reduces maternal deaths.[7][8] It is safer
than childbirth, which has a 14 times higher risk of death in the United States.[9] Modern methods use medication or surgery for
abortions.[10] The drug mifepristone in combination with prostaglandin appears to be as safe and effective as surgery during
the first and second trimester of pregnancy.[10][11] The most common surgical technique involves dilating the cervix and using
a suction device.[12] Birth control, such as the pill or intrauterine devices, can be used immediately following abortion.[11] When
performed legally and safely on a woman who desires it, induced abortions do not increase the risk of long-term mental or
physical problems.[13] In contrast, unsafe abortions (those performed by unskilled individuals, with hazardous equipment, or in
unsanitary facilities) cause 47,000 deaths and 5 million hospital admissions each year.[13][14] The World Health
Organization recommends safe and legal abortions be available to all women.[15]
Around 56 million abortions are performed each year in the world,[16] with about 45% done unsafely.[17] Abortion rates changed
little between 2003 and 2008,[18] before which they decreased for at least two decades as access to family planning and birth
control increased.[19] As of 2018, 37% of the world's women had access to legal abortions without limits as to reason.[20]
[21]
 Countries that permit abortions have different limits on how late in pregnancy abortion is allowed.[21]
Historically, abortions have been attempted using herbal medicines, sharp tools, forceful massage, or through other traditional
methods.[22] Abortion laws and cultural or religious views of abortions are different around the world. In some areas abortion is
legal only in specific cases such as rape, problems with the fetus, poverty, risk to a woman's health, or incest.[23] There
is debate over the moral, ethical, and legal issues of abortion.[24][25] Those who oppose abortion often argue that an embryo or
fetus is a human with a right to life, and they may compare abortion to murder.[26][27] Those who support the legality of
abortion often hold that it is part of a woman's right to make decisions about her own body.[28] Others favor legal and accessible
abortion as a public health measure.[29]

sixteen-year-old girl named Jenny got pregnant by her high school boyfriend. She kept the news from her father who was a
stern Baptist pastor. Jenny was raised with the conviction that abortion was murder and, knowing her father’s condemnation of
premarital sex, she couldn’t confess her pregnancy to him. Trapped by two unthinkable alternatives, she ignored the situation
until it was too late and she secretly gave birth in her bedroom. She then panicked and felt that disposing of the baby was the
only way to make her problem go away. She suffocated the baby by closing it in a plastic bag and then putting it in a garbage
can outside of a fast food restaurant. Shortly after, a restaurant worker discovered the dead infant and reported it to the police,
who successfully traced it back to Jenny. Investigators considered that the baby might have died naturally before it was placed
in the bag. They gave Jenny the benefit of the doubt without pushing the matter too far. She was not charged with a serious
crime, and was only required to go to counseling.
             Stories like this unfortunately occur too often, and they illustrate how women of all child-bearing ages are trapped by
unwanted pregnancies, often with no easy path to resolving their crisis. Abortion is an option, and one resorted to by about 1
million women each year in the U.S. But this is a controversial option and, in fact, probably the most contentious moral issue we
have today.
 
BACKGROUND
Perhaps the biggest mistake when looking at the abortion question is to assume that all abortions are the same. We might think
that they are all immoral, or, on the other hand, that they are all morally permissible. The fact is, though, that there are perhaps
100 distinct abortion scenarios that differ regarding the fetus’s age and health, the mother’s life and health, and possible
adverse impact on society. Ideally, each one of these scenarios should be assessed on its own terms before making a moral
pronouncement. We will begin by looking at some of these factors.
 
Fetal Development
Understanding the nuances of the abortion controversy requires some factual knowledge about abortion practices themselves,
and a good place to begin is with some terminology about stages of fetal development and methods of performing abortions.
             The nine month, or 40 week, fetal development process is commonly divided into three trimesters. In the first trimester
the male sperm and female egg merge and become a single-cell zygote; through cell division, by the third day it grows to about
16 cells. Within a week the cell cluster attaches to the woman’s uterus and forms into what is commonly called an embryo. By
the second or third week, it reaches the stage of gastrulation, where it reorganizes into three layers and can no longer divide to
form identical twins. By the fifth week its brain begins to form, its heart begins to beat, and it takes on some external features
of vertebrate animals. By the eighth week it is capable of some motion and its eyes begin to form. At the beginning of the
second trimester, at around 13 weeks, the embryo is from thereon referred to as a fetus and is about an inch and a half in size.
As the fetus continues to grow, by week 16-20 the woman can feel some fetal movement, an event called quickening. By the
beginning of the third trimester, at around 26 weeks, the fetus begins to exhibit regular brain wave patterns, and not just small
bursts of brain activity. It is about 8 inches long and is sufficiently developed so that it could possibly survive premature birth,
which is called viability. The fetus continues to grow throughout the third trimester, and by weeks 35-40, at around 20 inches, it
is fully developed and ready for birth.
             Only about half of fertilized human ova end in a live human birth, and unsuccessful ones miscarry, with miscarriage
estimates ranging from 25% to 75%. Around three-quarters of these occur during the first trimester, and the majority of these
fail to even implant, which is at such an early stage that the woman may have her period on schedule and not know that she
miscarried. The high prevalence of miscarriages is the result of a natural screening process in the woman’s body, which rejects
embryos that show indications of abnormalities. About half of these are genetic problems, and others are the result of low
hormone levels in the woman. While the woman’s natural screening process filters out most genetically problematic fetuses,
about five percent escape detection and ultimately result in the birth of infants with congenital problems, often very serious
ones. The high rate of miscarriages itself has implications on the abortion debate, particularly regarding the abortion of
seriously deformed fetuses. For example, one might argue that when the woman’s natural screening mechanism fails to detect
a genetically problematic fetus, it is reasonable to intervene and terminate the pregnancy, just as the woman’s natural process
would have if it was foolproof.
 
Abortion Methods
The term “abortion” as is typically used in the abortion debate refers to the intentional termination of pregnancy and expulsion
of the embryo or fetus. Abortion methods vary, and may occur at virtually any point within fetal development.
             The first possible pregnancy-termination method is the use of emergency contraception, commonly referred to as the
morning after pill, which a woman might take within a few days of having intercourse. It consists of a drug containing high
doses of hormones that disrupt the earliest stages of pregnancy in one of three ways. First, if the woman has not yet ovulated,
it can prevent her from doing so while the sperm inside her is still active. Second, if the woman has ovulated, it can prevent
sperm from fertilizing the ovum. Third, if the ovum is fertilized, it can prevent the zygote from implanting in the uterine wall,
and thus prevent further development. It is only this third avenue that is a type of abortion, while the first two are types of
contraception. The woman, though, is not in a position to know which of these is taking place. Emergency contraception is
effective for only 72 hours after intercourse, and, consequently, if the woman is indeed pregnant, the zygote will at most be a
microscopic cluster of cells. Emergency contraception is about 75% effective, and poses no risk to embryos which survive this
method. The major practical disadvantage of emergency contraception is that it requires the woman to make a quick decision
and have quick access to the drug. The reality, though, is that many women will not make such a decision and instead hope for
the best. Further, access to emergency contraception may require a prescription, particularly for women under age 18, which in
turn requires an appointment with a willing physician in a timely fashion.
             If the woman misses the opportunity to use the morning after pill, the next possible method is an abortion-inducing
drug called Mifepristone, more commonly known as RU486. Developed in France, and legalized there in 1988, it was eventually
approved in the U.S. with much controversy in 2000, and is currently the mechanism for around one-fourth of the abortions in
the U.S. Unlike emergency contraception, which at most prevents the Zygote from implanting on the uterine wall, RU486 can
expel embryos that are already implanted. The drug functions by breaking down the uterine lining as it would during
menstruation, thus expelling the fetus. While the window of opportunity for use of this drug is wider than that of emergency
contraception, the timetable is still restrictive, and can be used only for about one month after the earliest point at which a
woman could discover that she is pregnant through a pregnancy test. At the very most, the expelled embryo would be six
weeks old. The practical disadvantages of RU486 are the same as those of emergency contraception. Even after one month the
woman may still not be psychologically in a position to make the decision, and, again, timely access to a willing physician may
be an obstacle.
             Emergency contraception and RU486 both involve expelling embryos at very early stages. However, once embryos and
fetuses grow in size, only surgical methods can be used to remove them, and the larger the fetus, the more intrusive the
procedure is. The first of these surgical methods is vacuum aspiration, which can be performed at any time during the first
trimester of pregnancy until week 12. One type of vacuum aspiration involves the use of a syringe to extract the embryo. The
practical disadvantage of this approach is that it is a form of surgery, and although it is relatively safe with the whole procedure
taking about 15 minutes, there is some risk of infection and uterine injury. At around $500, it is also more costly than drug-
induced abortions. The next surgical method is dilation and curettage, which involves opening the cervix and scraping out the
embryo with a curved instrument called a curette. It can be performed between 6 and 16 weeks of pregnancy. Use of this
method is in decline now because of its higher costs and complication rate relative to the vacuum aspiration method. With
fetuses between 15 and 20 weeks, a variation of this method is used called dilation and evacuation, which involves
dismembering and removing the fetus piece by piece with forceps. A less frequently used method for fetuses older than 16
weeks is instillation, which involves injecting a chemical solution into the amniotic sac; the fetus absorbs it, causing it to die, and
it is then expelled from the uterus.
             Many of the above abortion methods are disturbing, particularly the later-term ones. For many people, such a sense of
revulsion is enough to judge these abortion practices immoral. However, revulsion alone is not always a good indicator of an
action’s moral worth. Consider, for example, the sense of revulsion that we might experience when witnessing similar abortion
methods performed on pregnant animals, such as dogs, chimpanzees or elephants. There is something grizzly about the surgical
procedures themselves that are inherently disturbing even when not performed on humans, and that must be factored into the
equation. While there may be an important place for our emotional reactions when assessing moral controversies, they are not
magical indicators of where the truth lies, and they should not override our more impartial reasoning on issues.
 

Is abortion safe?

Both in-clinic and medication abortions are very safe. In fact, abortion is one of the safest medical procedures out there.
Overall, 1 in 4 women in the U.S. will have an abortion by the time they’re 45 years old.

Planned Parenthood leads the country with the most up-to-date medical standards and guidelines for health care, including
abortion. We regularly review new medical research and get updates from groups like the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Serious problems after an abortion are very rare.  But like any medicine or medical procedure, there are some risks. Learn more
about the risks of in-clinic abortion and the risks of the abortion pill.

How will I feel after having an abortion?

You will get written after-care instructions and a phone number you can call if you have any questions or concerns. You may
have to come back for a check up or lab work after your procedure.

Plan on resting after your abortion. You can usually go back to work, school and most other normal activities the next day.
Avoid hard work or heavy exercise for a few days. You can use pads, tampons, or a menstrual cup for any bleeding —
whatever's the most comfortable for you. But your nurse or doctor may recommend you use pads so you can track how much
you're bleeding. You can have sex as soon as you feel ready.

Most people feel fine within a day or two, but it’s common for bleeding to last for a week (or several weeks after the abortion
pill). Cramping can happen for a few days.

It’s totally normal to have a lot of different emotions after your abortion. Everyone’s experience is different, and there’s no
“right” or “wrong” way to feel. Most people are relieved and don’t regret their decision. Others may feel sadness, guilt, or
regret after an abortion. Lots of people have all these feelings at different times. These feelings aren’t unique to having an
abortion. People feel many different emotions after giving birth, too.

Serious, long-term emotional problems after an abortion are rare. But everybody’s different, and certain things can make
coping with an abortion hard. Most people feel better if they have someone supportive to talk to after an abortion. But even if
you don’t think there’s anybody in your life you can talk with, you’re not alone. Your nurse or doctor can talk with you, or help
you find a licensed counselor or a non-judgmental support group. You can also call Exhale or All-Options, free after-abortion
talklines. They will give you confidential and non-judgmental emotional support after your abortion — no matter how you’re
feeling.

Will an abortion affect my health?

Abortion is safe. Unless there’s a rare and serious complication that’s not treated, there’s no risk to your ability to have children
in the future or to your overall health. Having an abortion doesn’t increase your risk for breast cancer, and it doesn’t cause
depression or mental health issues. Abortions don’t cause infertility either. In fact, it’s possible to get pregnant quickly after you
have an abortion. So it’s a good idea to talk to your nurse or doctor about a birth control plan for after your abortion.

There are many myths out there about abortion. The nurses and doctors at Planned Parenthood can give you accurate
information about any concerns you have.

PIP:
Much scholarly work has been done to determine the biblical and traditional attitudes about abortion. One must ask what was
said and why, what was its context, and inquire about what was not said as well. This discussion identifies some of the
conclusions reached in scholarly literature. The word "abortion" is not mentioned in the Bible, but much in the Bible speaks to
the issue. The most obvious passage is from Exodus 21:22-25. This part of the Covenant Code legislates the case of a pregnant
woman who becomes involved in a brawl between 2 men and has a miscarriage. A distinction is then made between the
penalty that is to be exacted for the loss of the fetus and injury to the woman. For the fetus, a fine is paid as determined by the
husband and the judges. However, if the woman is injured or dies, "lex talionis" is applied -- life for life, eye for eye, etc. The
story has somewhat limited application to the current abortion debate since it deals with accidental and not willful pregnancy
termination. Even so, the distinction made between the woman and the fetus is important. The woman is valued as a person
under the convenant; the fetus is valued as property. Its status is certainly inferior to that of the woman. This passage gives no
support to the parity argument that gives equal religious and moral worth to woman and fetus. The bibilical portrait of person
does not begin with an explanation of conception but with a portrayal of the creation of Adam and Eve. Thus, the biblical
portrait of a person is that of a complex, many-sided creature with the god-like ability and responsibility to make choices. The
fetus does not meet those criteria. When considering the issue of abortion, the one who unquestionably fits this portrait of
personhood is the pregnant woman. The abortion question focuses on the personhood of the woman, who in turn considers
the potential personhood of the fetus in terms of the multiple dimensions of her own history and the future. In biblical
perspective, this is a god-like decision. Any study of the tradition of the church over the centuries must deal with at least 2
related questions: the morality of the act of induced abortion; and the definition of the person. These are related, because if
one does not believe that the fetus is a person until a certain age the act must be defined differently than if one considers the
fetus a person from conception.

In Genesis 38, we have the story of Tamar, from whom king David descended. She was the widow of Judah’s oldest son, Er, who
had died without fathering any children. In accordance with the law, it fell to his next-oldest brother Onan to give Tamar
children who would belong posthumously to Er. Onan pretended to agree to avoid being disinherited and publicly humiliated,
but then he “spilled his seed” so he didn’t have to father any sons that would belong to his dead brother, not him. This sin of
selfishness was so great that Onan then was put to death. (We’ll get into this one another time when we talk about birth
control, by the way.)
 Even though the law then mandated that the third and final son was to fulfill husbandly duties to Tamar, Judah made an excuse
that the son was too young, and postponed the marriage indefinitely. Tamar, on the other hand, still felt that it was her
responsibility to produce heirs for Er, and that it was Judah’s responsibility to make that happen. This was one of the families of
Israel, and it was at risk of dying out without any heirs to carry it onward; Tamar wasn’t going to let that happen on her watch.
So during a major feast, she dressed up in a disguise of a Sacred Prostitute, from the local shrines where women invited men to
join with them in honoring the Divine Feminine through an enactment of the Male-Female Sacred Union. (More on this when
we talk about homosexuality.) Judah took this supposed roadside harlot up on this offer, even giving her the tokens she
requested for the union.

When Tamar was found to have been pregnant from harlotry, well, there was only one thing for it! Judah proclaimed that she
had to be put to death in accordance with the law, and the unborn child right along with her. Since she was the daughter of a
priest (Melchizedek, I believe), rather than being stoned, she’d be granted burning, with molten metal being poured down her
throat for a quicker death than being hit with rocks. Now remember that Judah knew that he’d been with a Sacred Prostitute
even if he didn’t know it was Tamar, so just contemplate the level of hypocrisy at work here. It wasn’t until Tamar produced the
tokens he’d given her that he realized the baby was his, and stayed the execution.

So in this story, I see the Bible saying that killing an unborn child is necessary when it’s not a child conceived in a way the
mother’s society wants. Also, that the mother should die along with it, because of engaging in an act the sentencer himself had
done.

Hosea: Progeny of the Rebellious Shall Not be Born

In the book of Hosea, we have the prophet relaying a message from God, saying what will happen to the Israelites who had
rebelled as punishment for their transgressions. In Hosea 9:14, we are told God will cause the deaths of the unborn, as he will
“give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.” In Hosea 13:16 it is proclaimed:
“Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed
in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.”

In Isaiah 7:20 and 10:5, it is stated that the Assyrians will be used by God as the means of implementing these punishments. In 2
Kings it describes how they fulfilled this role:
 8:12 And Hazael (future king of Syria) said, Why weepeth my lord? And he (Elisha) answered, Because I know the evil
that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the
sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.
 15:16 (Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they
opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.

So in this series of scripture, I read the Bible saying that violently ripping the unborn from the womb is a just and worthy
retribution if their parents were considered to have rebelled against God.