Abortion

An abortion is the termination of pregnancy usually prior to the stage of viability (24 weeks' gestation or fetal weight <500g) and before the fetus reaches viability which is defined as having a reasonable chance of survival. A termination of pregnancy after 24 weeks and before 37 weeks is considered a preterm or premature delivery. An abortion can be either spontaneous ('spontaneous abortion') which is also commonly known as a miscarriage, or it can be or induced ('induced abortion') either surgically or medically. There are many different definitions by medical people or lawmakers or others of what an abortion may be. Language referring to abortion often reflects societal and political opinions and rarely medical opinions.