Definition

An abortion is the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death. This can occur spontaneously as a miscarriage, or be artificially induced by chemical, surgical or other means. Commonly, "abortion" refers to an induced procedure at any point during pregnancy; medically, it is defined as miscarriage or induced termination before twenty weeks' gestation, which is considered nonviable.

The following medical terms are used to categorize abortion:

* Spontaneous abortion (miscarriage): An abortion due to accidental trauma or natural causes. Most miscarriages are due to incorrect replication of chromosomes; they can also be caused by environmental factors.
* Induced abortion: Abortion that has been caused by deliberate human action. Induced abortions are further subcategorized into therapeutic and elective:
o Therapeutic abortion:[1]
+ To save the life of the pregnant woman.
+ To preserve the woman's physical or mental health.
+ To terminate pregnancy that would result in a child born with a congenital disorder that would be fatal or associated with significant morbidity.
+ To selectively reduce the number of fetuses to lessen health risks associated with multiple pregnancy.
o Elective abortion: Abortion performed for any other reason.

In common parlance, the term "abortion" is synonymous with induced abortion. However, in medical texts, the word 'abortion' might exclusively refer to, or may also refer to, spontaneous abortion (miscarriage).