Ch_11

Lecture Notes

Now let's discuss abortion. An abortion is the expulsion of the conceptus. Abortions can happen naturally or can be induced. Many abortions occur spontaneously. These are often referred to as miscarriages. Approximately one-third of all abortions reported annually in the United States are spontaneous abortions, or the death of a fetus before it can survive on its own.

Conversely, induced abortions are when pregnancies are intentionally terminated. This can occur via medical or surgical procedures. In this class, unless otherwise noted, when we examine abortions, we are referring to induced abortions.

Abortions cannot be viewed as if they are all the same. Distinctions must be made, for example, among wanted, unintended, and unwanted pregnancies. The duration of pregnancy, more than any other factor, determines which abortion method is performed.

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