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138-632: Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus . An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of all pregnancies. 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. The most common reasons given for having an abortion are for birth-timing and limiting family size. Other reasons reported include maternal health , an inability to afford
276-417: A public wrong . According to common law, murder is considered to be malum in se , that is, an act which is evil within itself. An act such as murder is wrong or evil by its very nature, and it is the very nature of the act which does not require any specific detailing or definition in the law to consider murder a crime. Some jurisdictions still take a common law view of murder. In such jurisdictions, what
414-404: A woman 's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins . Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse , but can also occur through assisted reproductive technology procedures. A pregnancy may end in a live birth , a miscarriage , an induced abortion , or a stillbirth . Childbirth typically occurs around 40 weeks from the start of
552-769: A 2012 study in Obstetrics & Gynecology , in the United States the risk of maternal mortality is 14 times lower after induced abortion than after childbirth. The CDC estimated in 2019 that US pregnancy-related mortality was 17.2 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, while the US abortion mortality rate was 0.43 maternal deaths per 100,000 procedures. In the UK, guidelines of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists state that "Women should be advised that abortion
690-404: A certain probability of occurring within the limits of the estimated due date. A study of singleton live births came to the result that childbirth has a standard deviation of 14 days when gestational age is estimated by first trimester ultrasound , and 16 days when estimated directly by last menstrual period. Fertility and fecundity are the respective capacities to fertilize and establish
828-526: A child , domestic violence , lack of support, feeling they are too young, wishing to complete education or advance a career, and not being able or willing to raise a child conceived as a result of rape or incest . When done legally in industrialized societies, induced abortion is one of the safest procedures in medicine . Unsafe abortions —those performed by people lacking the necessary skills, or in inadequately resourced settings—are responsible for between 5–13% of maternal deaths , especially in
966-405: A clinical pregnancy and have a live birth. Infertility is an impaired ability to establish a clinical pregnancy and sterility is the permanent inability to establish a clinical pregnancy. The capacity for pregnancy depends on the reproductive system , its development and its variation , as well as on the condition of a person. Women as well as intersex and transgender people who have
1104-468: A combined regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol or surgical abortion. Vacuum aspiration in the first trimester is the safest method of surgical abortion, and can be performed in a primary care office , abortion clinic , or hospital. Complications, which are rare, can include uterine perforation , pelvic infection , and retained products of conception requiring a second procedure to evacuate. Infections account for one-third of abortion-related deaths in
1242-403: A condition that affected their judgment at the time. Depression , post-traumatic stress disorder and medication side-effects are examples of conditions that may be taken into account when assessing responsibility. Mental disorder may apply to a wide range of disorders including psychosis caused by schizophrenia and dementia , and excuse the person from the need to undergo the stress of
1380-432: A conscious disregard of an unreasonable risk of death or serious bodily injury. In Australian jurisdictions, the unreasonable risk must amount to a foreseen probability of death (or grievous bodily harm in most states), as opposed to possibility. Under state of mind (iv), the felony-murder doctrine, the felony committed must be an inherently dangerous felony, such as burglary, arson, rape, robbery or kidnapping. Importantly,
1518-501: A criminal action...." Murder with specified aggravating circumstances is often punished more harshly. Depending on the jurisdiction, such circumstances may include: In the United States and Canada, these murders are referred to as first-degree or aggravated murders. Under English criminal law , murder always carries a mandatory life sentence , but is not classified into degrees. Penalties for murder committed under aggravating circumstances are often higher under English law than
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#17327866651501656-413: A defendant to be convicted of intentionally murdering a person they did not know existed. Some countries allow conditions that "affect the balance of the mind" to be regarded as mitigating circumstances . This means that a person may be found guilty of "manslaughter" on the basis of "diminished responsibility" rather than being found guilty of murder, if it can be proved that the killer was suffering from
1794-943: A delayed/suspended menstruation". Forty percent of the world's women are able to access therapeutic and elective abortions within gestational limits, while an additional 35 percent have access to legal abortion if they meet certain physical, mental, or socioeconomic criteria. While maternal mortality seldom results from safe abortions, unsafe abortions result in 70,000 deaths and 5 million disabilities per year. Complications of unsafe abortion account for approximately an eighth of maternal mortalities worldwide, though this varies by region. Secondary infertility caused by an unsafe abortion affects an estimated 24 million women. The rate of unsafe abortions has increased from 44% to 49% between 1995 and 2008. Health education, access to family planning, and improvements in health care during and after abortion have been proposed to address consequences of unsafe abortion. There are two commonly used methods of measuring
1932-420: A finding of intent to kill, such as "loss of control" or "diminished responsibility", may result in the reduction of a murder charge to voluntary manslaughter. The four states of mind recognised as constituting "malice" are: Under state of mind (i), intent to kill, the deadly weapon rule applies. Thus, if the defendant intentionally uses a deadly weapon or instrument against the victim, such use authorises
2070-404: A functioning female reproductive system are capable of pregnancy. In some cases, someone might be able to produce fertilizable eggs, but might not have a womb or none that can sufficiently gestate, in which case they might find surrogacy . Through an interplay of hormones that includes follicle stimulating hormone that stimulates folliculogenesis and oogenesis creates a mature egg cell ,
2208-507: A mifepristone–misoprostol combination regimen is considered to be more effective than surgical abortion ( vacuum aspiration ), especially when clinical practice does not include detailed inspection of aspirated tissue. Early medical abortion regimens using mifepristone, followed 24–48 hours later by buccal or vaginal misoprostol are 98% effective up to 9 weeks gestational age; from 9 to 10 weeks efficacy decreases modestly to 94%. If medical abortion fails, surgical abortion must be used to complete
2346-407: A permissive inference of intent to kill. Examples of deadly weapons and instruments include but are not limited to guns, knives, deadly toxins or chemicals or gases and even vehicles when intentionally used to harm one or more victims. Under state of mind (iii), an "abandoned and malignant heart", the killing must result from the defendant's conduct involving a reckless indifference to human life and
2484-742: A person, murder; mortal sin, crime; punishment, torment, misery"; and *murþrijô "murderer; homicide" (from the verb *murþrijaną "to murder"), giving Old English myrþra "homicide, murder; murderer". There was a third word for "murder" in Proto-Germanic, continuing Proto-Indo-European *mr̥tós "dead" (compare Latin mors ), giving Proto-Germanic *murþą "death, killing, murder" and Old English morþ "death, crime, murder" (compare German Mord ). The -d- first attested in Middle English mordre, mourdre, murder, murdre could have been influenced by Old French murdre , itself derived from
2622-412: A person, of sound memory and discretion, unlawfully kills any reasonable creature in being and under the king's peace, with malice aforethought, either express or implied. At common law, murder was normally punishable by death. The elements of common law murder are: In contrast with manslaughter , murder requires the mental element known as malice aforethought. Mitigating factors that weigh against
2760-415: A pregnancy 12 to 15 days after fertilization. A quantitative blood test can determine approximately the date the embryo was fertilized because hCG levels double every 36 to 72 hours before 8 weeks' gestation. A single test of progesterone levels can also help determine how likely a fetus will survive in those with a threatened miscarriage (bleeding in early pregnancy), but only if the ultrasound result
2898-400: A pregnancy to a viable stage . Twins and other multiple births are counted as one pregnancy and birth. A woman who has never been pregnant is referred to as a nulligravida. A woman who is (or has been only) pregnant for the first time is referred to as a primigravida , and a woman in subsequent pregnancies as a multigravida or as multiparous. Therefore, during a second pregnancy
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#17327866651503036-412: A pregnancy; however, they are usually not felt until the second or third trimester. Final weight gain takes place during the third trimester; this is the most weight gain throughout the pregnancy. The woman's abdomen will transform in shape as the fetus turns in a downward position ready for birth. The woman's navel will sometimes become convex, "popping" out, due to the expanding abdomen . The uterus,
3174-543: A prostaglandin analog alone. Mifepristone–misoprostol combination regimens work faster and are more effective at later gestational ages than methotrexate–misoprostol combination regimens, and combination regimens are more effective than misoprostol alone, particularly in the second trimester. Medical abortion regimens involving mifepristone followed by misoprostol in the cheek between 24 and 48 hours later are effective when performed before 70 days' gestation. In very early abortions, up to 7 weeks gestation , medical abortion using
3312-418: A public health measure. Abortion laws and views of the procedure are different around the world. In some countries abortion is legal and women have the right to make the choice about abortion. In some areas, abortion is legal only in specific cases such as rape, incest, fetal defects , poverty, and risk to a woman's health. An induced abortion is a medical procedure to end a pregnancy. In present-day English,
3450-570: A significantly increased chance of mortality or morbidity, and reducing the number of fetuses to lessen health risks associated with multiple pregnancy . An abortion is referred to as elective or voluntary when it is performed at the request of the woman for non-medical reasons. Confusion sometimes arises over the term elective because " elective surgery " generally refers to all scheduled surgery, whether medically necessary or not. About one in five pregnancies worldwide ends with an induced abortion. Most abortions result from unintended pregnancies. In
3588-402: A specific abortion procedure. Abortions can be characterized as either therapeutic or elective. When an abortion is performed for medical reasons, the procedure is referred to as a therapeutic abortion. Medical reasons for therapeutic abortion include saving the life of the pregnant woman, preventing harm to the woman's physical or mental health , preventing the birth of a child who will have
3726-447: A trial as to liability. Usually, sociopathy and other personality disorders are not legally considered insanity. In some jurisdictions, following the pre-trial hearing to determine the extent of the disorder, the defense of "not guilty by reason of insanity" may be used to get a not guilty verdict. This defense has two elements: Under New York law, for example: § 40.15 Mental disease or defect. In any prosecution for an offense, it
3864-439: A widespread trend towards greater legal access to abortion since 1973, but there remains debate with regard to moral, religious, ethical, and legal issues. Those who oppose abortion often argue that an embryo or fetus is a person with a right to life , and thus equate abortion with murder . Those who support abortion's legality often argue that it is a woman's reproductive right . Others favor legal and accessible abortion as
4002-460: A woman undergoes many normal physiological changes, including behavioral , cardiovascular , hematologic , metabolic , renal , and respiratory changes. Increases in blood sugar , breathing , and cardiac output are all required. Levels of progesterone and estrogens rise continually throughout pregnancy, suppressing the hypothalamic axis and therefore the menstrual cycle . A full-term pregnancy at an early age (less than 25 years) reduces
4140-913: A woman would be described as gravida 2, para 1 and upon live delivery as gravida 2, para 2. In-progress pregnancies, abortions , miscarriages and/or stillbirths account for parity values being less than the gravida number. Women who have never carried a pregnancy more than 20 weeks are referred to as nulliparous . A pregnancy is considered term at 37 weeks of gestation. It is preterm if less than 37 weeks and postterm at or beyond 42 weeks of gestation. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have recommended further division with early term 37 weeks up to 39 weeks, full term 39 weeks up to 41 weeks, and late term 41 weeks up to 42 weeks. The terms preterm and postterm have largely replaced earlier terms of premature and postmature . Preterm and postterm are defined above, whereas premature and postmature have historical meaning and relate more to
4278-619: Is a procedure similar to a caesarean section and is performed under general anesthesia . It requires a smaller incision than a caesarean section and can be used during later stages of pregnancy. Gravid hysterectomy refers to removal of the whole uterus while still containing the pregnancy. Hysterotomy and hysterectomy are associated with much higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality than D&E or induction abortion. First trimester procedures can generally be performed using local anesthesia , while second trimester methods may require deep sedation or general anesthesia . In places lacking
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4416-580: Is a standard way of calculating the due date for a pregnancy when assuming a gestational age of 280 days at childbirth. The rule estimates the expected date of delivery (EDD) by adding a year, subtracting three months, and adding seven days to the origin of gestational age. Alternatively there are mobile apps , which essentially always give consistent estimations compared to each other and correct for leap year , while pregnancy wheels made of paper can differ from each other by 7 days and generally do not correct for leap year. Furthermore, actual childbirth has only
4554-408: Is an affirmative defence that when the defendant engaged in the proscribed conduct, he lacked criminal responsibility by reason of mental disease or defect. Such lack of criminal responsibility means that at the time of such conduct, as a result of mental disease or defect, he lacked substantial capacity to know or appreciate either: 1. The nature and consequences of such conduct; or 2. That such conduct
4692-456: Is as safe as provider-administered medical abortion, where a health care professional is present to help manage the medical abortion. Safely permitting women to self-administer abortion medication has the potential to improve access to abortion. The review also noted a research gap concerning methods to support women who take medication at home for a self-administered abortion. Up to 15 weeks' gestation, suction-aspiration or vacuum aspiration are
4830-437: Is as safe from 64 to 70 days' gestation as it before 63 days. There is little difference in terms of safety and efficacy between medical abortion using a combined regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol and surgical abortion (vacuum aspiration) in early first trimester abortions up to 10 weeks gestation. Medical abortion using the prostaglandin analog misoprostol alone is less effective and more painful than medical abortion using
4968-403: Is called "full term". Whenever possible, waiting for labor to begin on its own in this time period is best for the health of the mother and baby. The decision to perform an induction must be made after weighing the risks and benefits, but is safer after 39 weeks. Events after 42 weeks are considered postterm . When a pregnancy exceeds 42 weeks, the risk of complications for both the woman and
5106-492: Is considered to be murder is defined by precedent case law or previous decisions of the courts of law. However, although the common law is by nature flexible and adaptable, in the interests both of certainty and of securing convictions, most common law jurisdictions have codified their criminal law and now have statutory definitions of murder. Although laws vary by country, there are circumstances of exclusion that are common in many legal systems. All jurisdictions require that
5244-517: Is essential for the attainment of the highest possible level of sexual and reproductive health". Historically , abortions have been attempted using herbal medicines , sharp tools, forceful massage , or other traditional methods . Around 73 million abortions are performed each year in the world, with about 45% done unsafely. Abortion rates changed little between 2003 and 2008, before which they decreased for at least two decades as access to family planning and birth control increased. As of 2018, 37% of
5382-538: Is generally safer than continuing a pregnancy to term." Worldwide, on average, abortion is safer than carrying a pregnancy to term. A 2007 study reported that "26% of all pregnancies worldwide are terminated by induced abortion," whereas "deaths from improperly performed [abortion] procedures constitute 13% of maternal mortality globally." In Indonesia in 2000 it was estimated that 2 million pregnancies ended in abortion, 4.5 million pregnancies were carried to term, and 14–16 percent of maternal deaths resulted from abortion. In
5520-460: Is killing committed in the absence of malice , such as in the case of voluntary manslaughter brought about by reasonable provocation , or diminished capacity . Involuntary manslaughter , where it is recognized, is a killing that lacks all but the most attenuated guilty intent , recklessness. Most societies consider murder to be an extremely serious crime, and thus believe that a person convicted of murder should receive harsh punishments for
5658-438: Is known as a blastocyst . The blastocyst arrives at the uterus and attaches to the uterine wall, a process known as implantation . The development of the mass of cells that will become the infant is called embryogenesis during the first approximately ten weeks of gestation. During this time, cells begin to differentiate into the various body systems. The basic outlines of the organ, body, and nervous systems are established. By
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5796-410: Is legal and available. The health risks of abortion depend principally on how, and under what conditions, the procedure is performed. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines unsafe abortions as those performed by unskilled individuals, with hazardous equipment, or in unsanitary facilities. Legal abortions performed in the developed world are among the safest procedures in medicine. According to
5934-662: Is legally restricted. They may attempt self-induced abortion or seek the help of a person without proper medical training or facilities. This can lead to severe complications, such as incomplete abortion, sepsis , hemorrhage, and damage to internal organs. Unsafe abortions are a major cause of injury and death among women worldwide. Although data are imprecise, it is estimated that approximately 20 million unsafe abortions are performed annually, with 97% taking place in developing countries . Unsafe abortions are believed to result in millions of injuries. Estimates of deaths vary according to methodology, and have ranged from 37,000 to 70,000 in
6072-455: Is legally risky in the United States. Historically, a number of herbs reputed to possess abortifacient properties have been used in folk medicine . Such herbs include tansy , pennyroyal , black cohosh , and the now-extinct silphium . In 1978, one woman in Colorado died and another developed organ damage when they attempted to terminate their pregnancies by taking pennyroyal oil. Because
6210-482: Is maintained; when differentiating between murder and manslaughter, the only relevant factor is the existence or not of premeditation (rather than the existence or not of mitigating or aggravated factors). Manslaughter (non-premeditated intentional killing) with aggravating factors is punished more severely, but it is not classified as murder, because murder is an offense which always requires premeditation. According to Blackstone, English common law identified murder as
6348-466: Is not recommended unless required for other medical reasons. Associated terms for pregnancy are gravid and parous . Gravidus and gravid come from the Latin word meaning "heavy" and a pregnant female is sometimes referred to as a gravida . Gravidity refers to the number of times that a female has been pregnant. Similarly, the term parity is used for the number of times that a female carries
6486-410: Is primitive neural activity rather than the beginning of conscious brain activity. Synapses do not begin to form until week 17. Neural connections between the sensory cortex and thalamus develop as early as 24 weeks' gestational age, but the first evidence of their function does not occur until around 30 weeks, when minimal consciousness , dreaming , and the ability to feel pain emerges. Although
6624-454: Is sometimes used as the initiation of pregnancy, with the derived age being termed fertilization age . Fertilization usually occurs about two weeks before the next expected menstrual period. A third point in time is also considered by some people to be the true beginning of a pregnancy: This is time of implantation, when the future fetus attaches to the lining of the uterus. This is about a week to ten days after fertilization. The sperm and
6762-527: Is subdivided into first-degree murder or otherwise. The modern English word "murder" descends from the Proto-Indo-European *mŕ̥-trom which meant "killing", a noun derived from *mer- "to die". Proto-Germanic , in fact, had two nouns derived from this word, later merging into the modern English noun: *murþrą "death, killing, murder" (directly from Proto-Indo-European *mŕ̥-trom ), whence Old English morðor "secret or unlawful killing of
6900-426: Is the crime of wrongfully and intentionally causing the death of another human being (also known as murder) after rationally considering the timing or method of doing so, in order to either increase the likelihood of success, or to evade detection or apprehension. State laws in the United States vary as to definitions of "premeditation". In some states, premeditation may be construed as taking place mere seconds before
7038-461: Is the connecting cord from the embryo or fetus to the placenta. After about ten weeks of gestational age—which is the same as eight weeks after conception—the embryo becomes known as a fetus . At the beginning of the fetal stage, the risk of miscarriage decreases sharply. At this stage, a fetus is about 30 mm (1.2 inches) in length, the heartbeat is seen via ultrasound, and the fetus makes involuntary motions. During continued fetal development,
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#17327866651507176-637: Is the legal standing of abortion. Countries with restrictive abortion laws have higher rates of unsafe abortion and similar overall abortion rates compared to countries where abortion is legal and available. For example, the 1996 legalization of abortion in South Africa led to an immediate reduction in abortion-related complications, with abortion-related deaths dropping by more than 90%. Similar reductions in maternal mortality have been observed after other countries have liberalized their abortion laws, such as Romania and Nepal . A 2011 study concluded that in
7314-634: Is unavoidable. However, spontaneous birth after 37 weeks is considered term and is not associated with the same risks of a preterm birth. Planned birth before 39 weeks by caesarean section or labor induction , although "at term", results in an increased risk of complications. This is from factors including underdeveloped lungs of newborns , infection due to underdeveloped immune system, feeding problems due to underdeveloped brain, and jaundice from underdeveloped liver. Babies born between 39 and 41 weeks' gestation have better outcomes than babies born either before or after this range. This special time period
7452-570: Is usually termed " stillborn ". Premature births and stillbirths are generally not considered to be miscarriages, although usage of these terms can sometimes overlap. Studies of pregnant women in the US and China have shown that between 40% and 60% of embryos do not progress to birth. The vast majority of miscarriages occur before the woman is aware that she is pregnant , and many pregnancies spontaneously abort before medical practitioners can detect an embryo. Between 15% and 30% of known pregnancies end in clinically apparent miscarriage, depending upon
7590-446: Is when the sperm fertilizes the egg. The fertilized egg then travels down the fallopian tube and attaches to the inside of the uterus , where it begins to form the embryo and placenta . During the first trimester, the possibility of miscarriage (natural death of embryo or fetus) is at its highest. Around the middle of the second trimester, movement of the fetus may be felt. At 28 weeks, more than 90% of babies can survive outside of
7728-416: Is widely experienced as painful, some women do report painless labors, while others find that concentrating on the birth helps to quicken labor and lessen the sensations. Most births are successful vaginal births, but sometimes complications arise and a woman may undergo a cesarean section . During the time immediately after birth, both the mother and the baby are hormonally cued to bond, the mother through
7866-574: The American Psychological Association concluded that a woman's first abortion is not a threat to mental health when carried out in the first trimester, with such women no more likely to have mental-health problems than those carrying an unwanted pregnancy to term; the mental-health outcome of a woman's second or greater abortion is less certain. Some older reviews concluded that abortion was associated with an increased risk of psychological problems; however, later reviews of
8004-583: The Ex Post Facto Clause of Article I of the United States Constitution . The potential effect of fully abolishing the rule can be seen in the case of 74-year-old William Barnes, charged with the murder of a Philadelphia police officer Walter T. Barclay Jr., who he had shot nearly 41 years previously. Barnes had served 16 years in prison for attempting to murder Barkley, but when the policeman died on August 19, 2007, this
8142-614: The Supreme Court of California in 1994 as not requiring any proof of the viability of the fetus as a prerequisite to a murder conviction. This holding has two implications. Firstly, a defendant in California can be convicted of murder for killing a fetus which the mother herself could have terminated without committing a crime. And secondly, as stated by Justice Stanley Mosk in his dissent, because women carrying nonviable fetuses may not be visibly pregnant, it may be possible for
8280-561: The bas reliefs decorating the temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia depicts a demon performing such an abortion upon a woman who has been sent to the underworld . Reported methods of unsafe, self-induced abortion include misuse of misoprostol and insertion of non-surgical implements such as knitting needles and clothes hangers into the uterus. These and other methods to terminate pregnancy may be called "induced miscarriage". Such methods are rarely used in countries where surgical abortion
8418-435: The cervix and emptying the uterus using surgical instruments and suction. D&E is performed vaginally and does not require an incision. Intact dilation and extraction (D&X) refers to a variant of D&E sometimes used after 18 to 20 weeks when removal of an intact fetus improves surgical safety or for other reasons. Abortion may also be performed surgically by hysterotomy or gravid hysterectomy. Hysterotomy abortion
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#17327866651508556-474: The criminal code classifies murder as either first- or second-degree. The former type of murder is often called premeditated murder, although premeditation is not the only way murder can be classified as first-degree. In the Netherlands , the traditional strict distinction between premeditated intentional killing (classed as murder, moord ) and non-premeditated intentional killing (manslaughter, doodslag )
8694-428: The developing world . However, medication abortions that are self-managed are highly effective and safe throughout the first trimester . Public health data show that making safe abortion legal and accessible reduces maternal deaths. Modern methods use medication or surgery for abortions. The drug mifepristone (aka RU-486) in combination with prostaglandin appears to be as safe and effective as surgery during
8832-523: The fertilization age , which is the age of the embryo since conception. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends the following methods to calculate gestational age: Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters, each lasting for approximately three months. The exact length of each trimester can vary between sources. Due date estimation basically follows two steps: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists divides full term into three divisions: Naegele's rule
8970-742: The first and second trimesters of pregnancy. The most common surgical technique involves dilating the cervix and using a suction device . Birth control , such as the pill or intrauterine devices , can be used immediately following abortion. 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. In contrast, unsafe abortions performed by unskilled individuals, with hazardous equipment, or in unsanitary facilities cause between 22,000 and 44,000 deaths and 6.9 million hospital admissions each year. The World Health Organization states that "access to legal, safe and comprehensive abortion care, including post-abortion care ,
9108-481: The last menstrual period (LMP), a span known as the gestational age . This is just over nine months. Counting by fertilization age , the length is about 38 weeks. Pregnancy is "the presence of an implanted human embryo or fetus in the uterus"; implantation occurs on average 8–9 days after fertilization. An embryo is the term for the developing offspring during the first seven weeks following implantation (i.e. ten weeks' gestational age), after which
9246-428: The 15-year minimum non-parole period that otherwise serves as a starting point for a murder committed by an adult. A legal doctrine in some common law jurisdictions broadens the crime of murder: when an offender kills in the commission of a dangerous crime, (regardless of intent), he or she is guilty of murder. The felony murder rule is often justified by its supporters as a means of preventing dangerous felonies, but
9384-620: The Germanic noun via Frankish *murþra (compare Old High German murdreo, murdiro ), though the same sound development can be seen with burden (from burthen ). The alternative murther (attested up to the 19th century) springs directly from the Old English forms. Middle English mordre is a verb from Anglo-Saxon myrðrian from Proto-Germanic *murþrijaną , or, according to the Oxford English Dictionary , from
9522-468: The U.S. further distinguish third-degree murder , but they differ significantly in which kinds of murders they classify as second-degree versus third-degree. For example, Minnesota defines third-degree murder as depraved-heart murder , whereas Florida defines third-degree murder as felony murder (except when the underlying felony is specifically listed in the definition of first-degree murder). Some jurisdictions also distinguish premeditated murder. This
9660-546: The U.S., historian Linda Gordon states: "In fact, illegal abortions in this country have an impressive safety record." According to Rickie Solinger , A related myth, promulgated by a broad spectrum of people concerned about abortion and public policy, is that before legalization abortionists were dirty and dangerous back-alley butchers.... [T]he historical evidence does not support such claims. A 1940s American physician spoke of his pride in having performed 13,844 illegal abortions without any fatalities. In 1870s New York City,
9798-520: The US from 2000 to 2009, abortion had a mortality rate lower than plastic surgery , lower or similar to running a marathon, and about equivalent to traveling 760 miles (1,220 km) in a passenger car. Five years after seeking abortion services, women who gave birth after being denied an abortion reported worse health than women who had either first or second trimester abortions. The risk of abortion-related mortality increases with gestational age, but remains lower than that of childbirth. Outpatient abortion
9936-521: The Uniform Penal Code, such as California, diminished capacity may be a defense. For example, Dan White used this defense to obtain a manslaughter conviction, instead of murder, in the assassination of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk . Afterward, California amended its penal code to provide "As a matter of public policy there shall be no defense of diminished capacity, diminished responsibility, or irresistible impulse in
10074-501: The United Kingdom, 1 to 2% of abortions are done because of genetic problems in the fetus. Miscarriage, also known as spontaneous abortion, is the unintentional expulsion of an embryo or fetus before the 24th week of gestation . A pregnancy that ends before 37 weeks of gestation resulting in a live-born infant is a " premature birth " or a "preterm birth". When a fetus dies in utero after viability , or during delivery , it
10212-401: The United States where 96% of second trimester abortions are performed surgically by dilation and evacuation . A 2020 Cochrane Systematic Review concluded that providing women with medications to take home to complete the second stage of the procedure for an early medical abortion results in an effective abortion. Further research is required to determine if self-administered medical abortion
10350-440: The United States, 60% of the women used birth control to some extent during the month pregnancy began. The usual signs and symptoms of pregnancy do not significantly interfere with activities of daily living or pose a health-threat to the mother or baby. However, pregnancy complications can cause other more severe symptoms, such as those associated with anemia . Common signs and symptoms of pregnancy include: (from
10488-426: The United States, many jurisdictions have abolished the rule as well. Abolition of the rule has been accomplished by enactment of statutory criminal codes, which had the effect of displacing the common-law definitions of crimes and corresponding defenses. In 2001 the Supreme Court of the United States held that retroactive application of a state supreme court decision abolishing the year-and-a-day rule did not violate
10626-723: The United States, some state-level anti-abortion laws are correlated with lower rates of abortion in that state. The analysis, however, did not take into account travel to other states without such laws to obtain an abortion. In addition, a lack of access to effective contraception contributes to unsafe abortion. It has been estimated that the incidence of unsafe abortion could be reduced by up to 75% (from 20 million to 5 million annually) if modern family planning and maternal health services were readily available globally. Rates of such abortions may be difficult to measure because they can be reported variously as miscarriage, "induced miscarriage", "menstrual regulation", "mini-abortion", and "regulation of
10764-559: The United States. The rate of complications of vacuum aspiration abortion in the first trimester is similar regardless of whether the procedure is performed in a hospital, surgical center, or office. Preventive antibiotics (such as doxycycline or metronidazole ) are typically given before abortion procedures, as they are believed to substantially reduce the risk of postoperative uterine infection; however, antibiotics are not routinely given with abortion pills. The rate of failed procedures does not appear to vary significantly depending on whether
10902-459: The abortion is performed by a doctor or a mid-level practitioner . Complications after second trimester abortion are similar to those after first trimester abortion, and depend somewhat on the method chosen. The risk of death from abortion approaches roughly half the risk of death from childbirth the farther along a woman is in pregnancy; from one in a million before 9 weeks gestation to nearly one in ten thousand at 21 weeks or more (as measured from
11040-410: The abortionist/midwife Madame Restell (Anna Trow Lohman) is said to have lost very few women among her more than 100,000 patients—a lower mortality rate than the childbirth mortality rate at the time. In 1936, obstetrics and gynecology professor Frederick J. Taussig wrote that a cause of increasing mortality during the years of illegality in the U.S. was that With each decade of the past fifty years
11178-466: The actual and proportionate frequency of this accident [perforation of the uterus] has increased, due, first, to the increase in the number of instrumentally induced abortions; second, to the proportionate increase in abortions handled by doctors as against those handled by midwives; and, third, to the prevailing tendency to use instruments instead of the finger in emptying the uterus. Women seeking an abortion may use unsafe methods, especially when abortion
11316-430: The age and health of the pregnant woman. 80% of these spontaneous abortions happen in the first trimester. The most common cause of spontaneous abortion during the first trimester is chromosomal abnormalities of the embryo or fetus, accounting for at least 50% of sampled early pregnancy losses. Other causes include vascular disease (such as lupus ), diabetes , other hormonal problems , infection, and abnormalities of
11454-438: The availability of prostaglandin analogs in the 1970s and the antiprogestogen mifepristone (also known as RU-486) in the 1980s. The most common early first trimester medical abortion regimens use mifepristone in combination with misoprostol (or sometimes another prostaglandin analog, gemeprost ) up to 10 weeks (70 days) gestational age, methotrexate in combination with a prostaglandin analog up to 7 weeks gestation, or
11592-440: The case of Ryan Holle shows it can be used very widely. The felony-murder reflects the versari in re illicita: the offender is objectively responsible for the event of the unintentional crime; in fact the figure of the civil law systems corresponding to felony murder is the preterintentional homicide (art. 222-7 French penal code, art. 584 Italian penal code, art. 227 German penal code etc.). Felony murder contrasts with
11730-422: The cause of death, breaking the chain of causation ; and also means that the responsible person does not have a charge of murder "hanging over their head indefinitely". Subject to any statute of limitations , the accused could still be charged with an offense reflecting the seriousness of the initial assault. With advances in modern medicine, most countries have abandoned a fixed time period and test causation on
11868-480: The cervix (dilation) and removing tissue (curettage) via suction or sharp instruments. D&C is a standard gynecological procedure performed for a variety of reasons, including examination of the uterine lining for possible malignancy, investigation of abnormal bleeding, and abortion. The World Health Organization recommends sharp curettage only when suction aspiration is unavailable. Dilation and evacuation (D&E), used after 12 to 16 weeks, consists of opening
12006-426: The early body systems, and structures that were established in the embryonic stage continue to develop. Sex organs begin to appear during the third month of gestation. The fetus continues to grow in both weight and length, although the majority of the physical growth occurs in the last weeks of pregnancy. Electrical brain activity is first detected at the end of week 5 of gestation, but as in brain-dead patients, it
12144-492: The effect of giving birth to the child or by reason of the effect of lactation consequent upon the birth of the child". Since independence, death sentences for murder in such cases had always been commuted ; the new act was intended "to eliminate all the terrible ritual of the black cap and the solemn words of the judge pronouncing sentence of death in those cases ... where it is clear to the Court and to everybody, except perhaps
12282-407: The egg cell, which has been released from one of the female's two ovaries , unite in one of the two fallopian tubes . The fertilized egg, known as a zygote , then moves toward the uterus, a journey that can take up to a week to complete. Cell division begins approximately 24 to 36 hours after the female and male cells unite. Cell division continues at a rapid rate and the cells then develop into what
12420-434: The end of the embryonic stage, the beginnings of features such as fingers, eyes, mouth, and ears become visible. Also during this time, there is development of structures important to the support of the embryo, including the placenta and umbilical cord . The placenta connects the developing embryo to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply. The umbilical cord
12558-450: The enlarged uterus may impede blood flow by compressing the vena cava when lying flat, a condition that can be relieved by lying on the left side. Childbirth, referred to as labor and delivery in the medical field, is the process whereby an infant is born. A woman is considered to be in labor when she begins experiencing regular uterine contractions, accompanied by changes of her cervix—primarily effacement and dilation. While childbirth
12696-473: The facts of the case. This is known as "delayed death" and cases where this was applied or was attempted to be applied go back to at least 1966. In England and Wales, the "year-and-a-day rule" was abolished by the Law Reform (Year and a Day Rule) Act 1996 . However, if death occurs three years or more after the original attack then prosecution can take place only with the attorney-general 's approval. In
12834-645: The female gamete . Fertilization is the event where the egg cell fuses with the male gamete, spermatozoon . After the point of fertilization, the fused product of the female and male gamete is referred to as a zygote or fertilized egg. The fusion of female and male gametes usually occurs following the act of sexual intercourse . Pregnancy rates for sexual intercourse are highest during the menstrual cycle time from some 5 days before until 1 to 2 days after ovulation. Fertilization can also occur by assisted reproductive technology such as artificial insemination and in vitro fertilisation . Fertilization (conception)
12972-470: The fetus begins to move during the first trimester, it is not until the second trimester that movement, known as quickening , can be felt. This typically happens in the fourth month, more specifically in the 20th to 21st week, or by the 19th week if the woman has been pregnant before. It is common for some women not to feel the fetus move until much later. During the second trimester, when the body size changes, maternity clothes may be worn. During pregnancy,
13110-549: The fetus increases significantly. Therefore, in an otherwise uncomplicated pregnancy, obstetricians usually prefer to induce labor at some stage between 41 and 42 weeks. The postpartum period also referred to as the puerperium , is the postnatal period that begins immediately after delivery and extends for about six weeks. During this period, the mother's body begins the return to pre-pregnancy conditions that includes changes in hormone levels and uterus size. The beginning of pregnancy may be detected either based on symptoms by
13248-463: The first trimester because of fetal abnormalities, more rigorous research would be needed to show this conclusively. Some proposed negative psychological effects of abortion have been referred to by anti-abortion advocates as a separate condition called " post-abortion syndrome ", but this is not recognized by medical or psychological professionals in the United States. A 2020 long term-study among US women found that about 99% of women felt that they made
13386-566: The first trimester, minute ventilation increases by 40 percent. The womb will grow to the size of a lemon by eight weeks. Many symptoms and discomforts of pregnancy , such as nausea and tender breasts , appear in the first trimester. During the second trimester, most women feel more energized and put on weight as the symptoms of morning sickness subside. They begin to feel regular fetal movements , which can become strong and even disruptive. Braxton Hicks contractions are sporadic uterine contractions that may start around six weeks into
13524-496: The ideal childbirth, labor begins on its own "at term". Babies born before 37 weeks are " preterm " and at higher risk of health problems such as cerebral palsy . Babies born between weeks 37 and 39 are considered "early term" while those born between weeks 39 and 41 are considered "full term". Babies born between weeks 41 and 42 weeks are considered "late-term" while after 42 weeks they are considered " post-term ". Delivery before 39 weeks by labor induction or caesarean section
13662-505: The incidence of abortion: In many places, where abortion is illegal or carries a heavy social stigma, medical reporting of abortion is not reliable. For this reason, estimates of the incidence of abortion must be made without determining certainty related to standard error . The number of abortions performed worldwide was characterized as stable in the early 2000s, with 41.6 million having been performed in 2003 and 43.8 million having been performed in 2008. The abortion rate worldwide
13800-479: The indiscriminant use of herbs as abortifacients can cause serious—even lethal—side effects, such as multiple organ failure , such use is not recommended by physicians. Abortion is sometimes attempted by causing trauma to the abdomen. The degree of force, if severe, can cause serious internal injuries without necessarily succeeding in inducing miscarriage . In Southeast Asia, there is an ancient tradition of attempting abortion through forceful abdominal massage. One of
13938-792: The infant's size and state of development rather than to the stage of pregnancy. About 213 million pregnancies occurred in 2012, of which, 190 million (89%) were in the developing world and 23 million (11%) were in the developed world. The number of pregnancies in women aged between 15 and 44 is 133 per 1,000 women. About 10% to 15% of recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage . In 2016, complications of pregnancy resulted in 230,600 maternal deaths , down from 377,000 deaths in 1990. Common causes include bleeding , infections , hypertensive diseases of pregnancy , obstructed labor , miscarriage, abortion, or ectopic pregnancy . Globally, 44% of pregnancies are unplanned . Over half (56%) of unplanned pregnancies are aborted. Among unintended pregnancies in
14076-624: The last menstrual period). It appears that having had a prior surgical uterine evacuation (whether because of induced abortion or treatment of miscarriage) correlates with a small increase in the risk of preterm birth in future pregnancies. The studies supporting this did not control for factors not related to abortion or miscarriage, and hence the causes of this correlation have not been determined, although multiple possibilities have been suggested. Current evidence finds no relationship between most induced abortions and mental health problems other than those expected for any unwanted pregnancy. A report by
14214-637: The legal distinction between murder and manslaughter is clear, it is not unknown for a jury to find a murder defendant guilty of the lesser offense. The jury might sympathize with the defendant (e.g. in a crime of passion , or in the case of a bullied victim who kills their tormentor), and the jury may wish to protect the defendant from a sentence of life imprisonment or execution. Some jurisdictions divide murder by degrees. The distinction between first- and second-degree murder exists, for example, in Canadian murder law and U.S. murder law . Some US states maintain
14352-409: The medical literature found that previous reviews did not use an appropriate control group. When a control group is utilized, receiving abortion is not associated with adverse psychological outcomes. However, women seeking abortion who are denied access to abortion have an increase in anxiety after the denial. Although some studies show negative mental-health outcomes in women who choose abortions after
14490-613: The most common surgical methods of induced abortion. Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) consists of removing the fetus or embryo , placenta , and membranes by suction using a manual syringe, while electric vacuum aspiration (EVA) uses an electric pump. Both techniques can be used very early in pregnancy. MVA can be used up to 14 weeks but is more often used earlier in the U.S. EVA can be used later. MVA, also known as "mini-suction" and " menstrual extraction ", or EVA can be used in very early pregnancy when cervical dilation may not be required. Dilation and curettage (D&C) refers to opening
14628-470: The mother during their first two hours after birth, the period that they tend to be more alert than in the following hours of early life. In the ideal childbirth , labor begins on its own when a woman is "at term". Events before completion of 37 weeks are considered preterm. Preterm birth is associated with a range of complications and should be avoided if possible. Sometimes if a woman's water breaks or she has contractions before 39 weeks, birth
14766-475: The murder. Premeditated murder is one of the most serious forms of homicide, and is punished more severely than manslaughter or other types of homicide, often with a life sentence without the possibility of parole , or in some countries, the death penalty . In the U.S., federal law ( 18 U.S.C. § 1111(a) ) criminalizes premeditated murder, felony murder and second-degree murder committed under situations where federal jurisdiction applies. In Canada,
14904-441: The muscular organ that holds the developing fetus, can expand up to 20 times its normal size during pregnancy. Head engagement , also called "lightening" or "dropping", occurs as the fetal head descends into a cephalic presentation . While it relieves pressure on the upper abdomen and gives a renewed ease in breathing, it also severely reduces bladder capacity, resulting in a need to void more frequently , and increases pressure on
15042-417: The necessary medical skill for dilation and extraction, or when preferred by practitioners, an abortion can be induced by first inducing labor and then inducing fetal demise if necessary. This is sometimes called "induced miscarriage". This procedure may be performed from 13 weeks gestation to the third trimester. Although it is very uncommon in the United States, more than 80% of induced abortions throughout
15180-513: The noun. Opponents of abortion consider abortion a form of murder, treating the foetus as a person. In some countries, a fetus is a legal person who can be murdered, and killing a pregnant person is considered a double homicide. The eighteenth-century English jurist William Blackstone (citing Edward Coke ), in his Commentaries on the Laws of England set out the common law definition of murder, which by this definition occurs when
15318-497: The offense of capital murder . The most common division is between first- and second-degree murder. Generally, second-degree murder is common law murder, and first-degree is an aggravated form. The aggravating factors of first-degree murder depend on the jurisdiction, but may include a specific intent to kill, premeditation, or deliberation. In some, murders committed by acts such as strangulation , poisoning , or lying in wait are also treated as first-degree murder. A few states in
15456-507: The pain of the victim). After the last reform of the Spanish Criminal Code , in force since July 1, 2015, another circumstance that turns homicide ( homicidio ) into assassination is the desire to facilitate the commission of another crime or to prevent it from being discovered. As with most legal terms, the precise definition of murder varies between jurisdictions and is usually codified in some form of legislation. Even when
15594-464: The past decade; deaths from unsafe abortion account for around 13% of all maternal deaths . The World Health Organization believes that mortality has fallen since the 1990s. To reduce the number of unsafe abortions, public health organizations have generally advocated emphasizing the legalization of abortion, training of medical personnel, and ensuring access to reproductive-health services. A major factor in whether abortions are performed safely or not
15732-416: The pelvic floor and the rectum. It is not possible to predict when lightening will occur. In a first pregnancy it may happen a few weeks before the due date, though it may happen later or even not until labor begins, as is typical with subsequent pregnancies. It is during the third trimester that maternal activity and sleep positions may affect fetal development due to restricted blood flow . For instance,
15870-493: The penalty for mothers who kill their children of up to one year of age. The United States does not have such a law, but mentally ill mothers may plead not guilty by reason of insanity." In the law of the Republic of Ireland , infanticide was made a separate crime from murder in 1949, applicable for the mother of a baby under one year old where "the balance of her mind was disturbed by reason of her not having fully recovered from
16008-684: The physical changes. This condition is known as a false pregnancy . Most pregnant women experience a number of symptoms, which can signify pregnancy. A number of early medical signs are associated with pregnancy. These signs include: Pregnancy detection can be accomplished using one or more various pregnancy tests , which detect hormones generated by the newly formed placenta , serving as biomarkers of pregnancy. Blood and urine tests can detect pregnancy by 11 and 14 days, respectively, after fertilization. Blood pregnancy tests are more sensitive than urine tests (giving fewer false negatives). Home pregnancy tests are urine tests, and normally detect
16146-658: The principle of guilt, for which in England it was, at least formally, abolished in 1957, in Canada it was quashed by the Supreme Court, while in the USA it continues to survive. In some common law jurisdictions, a defendant accused of murder is not guilty if the victim survives for longer than one year and one day after the attack. This reflects the likelihood that if the victim dies, other factors will have contributed to
16284-564: The procedure. Early medical abortions account for the majority of abortions before 9 weeks gestation in Britain , France , Switzerland , United States , and the Nordic countries . Medical abortion regimens using mifepristone in combination with a prostaglandin analog are the most common methods used for second trimester abortions in Canada , most of Europe, China and India , in contrast to
16422-463: The purposes of retribution , deterrence , rehabilitation , or incapacitation . In most countries, a person convicted of murder generally receives a long-term prison sentence, a life sentence , or capital punishment . Some countries, states, and territories, including the United Kingdom and other countries with English-derived common law , mandate life imprisonment for murder, whether it
16560-484: The question of a link between induced abortion and breast cancer has been investigated extensively. Major medical and scientific bodies (including the WHO, National Cancer Institute , American Cancer Society , Royal College of OBGYN and American Congress of OBGYN ) have concluded that abortion does not cause breast cancer. In the past even illegality has not automatically meant that the abortions were unsafe. Referring to
16698-565: The release of oxytocin , a hormone also released during breastfeeding . Studies show that skin-to-skin contact between a mother and her newborn immediately after birth is beneficial for both the mother and baby. A review done by the World Health Organization found that skin-to-skin contact between mothers and babies after birth reduces crying, improves mother–infant interaction, and helps mothers to breastfeed successfully. They recommend that neonates be allowed to bond with
16836-553: The right decision five years after they had an abortion. Relief was the primary emotion with few women feeling sadness or guilt. Social stigma was a main factor predicting negative emotions and regret years later. The researchers also stated: "These results add to the scientific evidence that emotions about an abortion are associated with personal and social context, and are not a product of the abortion procedure itself." Some purported risks of abortion are promoted primarily by anti-abortion groups, but lack scientific support. For example,
16974-451: The risk of breast , ovarian , and endometrial cancer , and the risk declines further with each additional full-term pregnancy. The fetus is genetically different from its mother and can therefore be viewed as an unusually successful allograft . The main reason for this success is increased immune tolerance during pregnancy, which prevents the mother's body from mounting an immune system response against certain triggers. During
17112-454: The second trimester are labor-induced abortions in Sweden and other nearby countries. Only limited data are available comparing labor-induced abortion with the dilation and extraction method. Unlike D&E, labor-induced abortions after 18 weeks may be complicated by the occurrence of brief fetal survival, which may be legally characterized as live birth. For this reason, labor-induced abortion
17250-491: The start of the last menstrual period ) The chronology of pregnancy is, unless otherwise specified, generally given as gestational age , where the starting point is the beginning of the woman's last menstrual period (LMP), or the corresponding age of the gestation as estimated by a more accurate method if available. This model means that the woman is counted as being "pregnant" two weeks before conception and three weeks before implantation . Sometimes, timing may also use
17388-504: The term fetus is used until birth. Signs and symptoms of early pregnancy may include missed periods , tender breasts, morning sickness (nausea and vomiting), hunger, implantation bleeding , and frequent urination. Pregnancy may be confirmed with a pregnancy test . Methods of birth control —or, more accurately, contraception —are used to avoid pregnancy. Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters of approximately three months each. The first trimester includes conception, which
17526-413: The term abortion , when used without further qualification, generally refers to induced abortion. A pregnancy can be intentionally aborted in several ways. The abortion method depends upon the gestational age of the embryo or fetus, which gains mass as the pregnancy progresses. Abortion laws , regional availability, and the personal preference of the women and her doctor may inform the women's choice of
17664-447: The underlying felony cannot be a lesser included offense such as assault, otherwise all criminal homicides would be murder as all are felonies. In Spanish criminal law, asesinato (literally 'assassination'): takes place when any of these requirements concur: Treachery (the use of means to avoid risk for the aggressor or to ensure that the crime goes unpunished), price or reward (financial gain) or viciousness (deliberately increasing
17802-402: The unfortunate accused, that the sentence will never be carried out." In Russia, murder of a newborn child by the mother has been a separate crime since 1996. For a killing to be considered murder in nine out of fifty states in the US, there normally needs to be an element of intent. A defendant may argue that they took precautions not to kill, that the death could not have been anticipated, or
17940-718: The uterus if provided with high-quality medical care , though babies born at this time will likely experience serious health complications such as heart and respiratory problems and long-term intellectual and developmental disabilities. Prenatal care improves pregnancy outcomes. Nutrition during pregnancy is important to ensure healthy growth of the fetus. Prenatal care may also include avoiding recreational drugs (including tobacco and alcohol ), taking regular exercise, having blood tests , and regular physical examinations . Complications of pregnancy may include disorders of high blood pressure , gestational diabetes , iron-deficiency anemia , and severe nausea and vomiting . In
18078-473: The uterus. Advancing maternal age and a woman's history of previous spontaneous abortions are the two leading factors associated with a greater risk of spontaneous abortion. A spontaneous abortion can also be caused by accidental trauma ; intentional trauma or stress to cause miscarriage is considered induced abortion or feticide . Medical abortions are those induced by abortifacient pharmaceuticals. Medical abortion became an alternative method of abortion with
18216-400: The victim be a natural person; that is, a human being who was still alive before being murdered. In other words, under the law one cannot murder a corpse , a corporation, a non-human animal, or any other non-human organism such as a plant or bacterium. California 's murder statute, penal code section 187 , expressly mentioned a fetus as being capable of being killed, and was interpreted by
18354-447: The woman herself, or by using pregnancy tests . However, an important condition with serious health implications that is quite common is the denial of pregnancy by the pregnant woman. About 1 in 475 denials will last until around the 20th week of pregnancy. The proportion of cases of denial, persisting until delivery is about 1 in 2500. Conversely, some non-pregnant women have a very strong belief that they are pregnant along with some of
18492-422: The world's women had access to legal abortions without limits as to reason. Countries that permit abortions have different limits on how late in pregnancy abortion is allowed. Abortion rates are similar between countries that restrict abortion and countries that broadly allow it, though this is partly because countries which restrict abortion tend to have higher unintended pregnancy rates. Globally, there has been
18630-451: Was 28 per 1000 women per year, though it was 24 per 1000 women per year for developed countries and 29 per 1000 women per year for developing countries. The same 2012 study indicated that in 2008, the estimated abortion percentage of known pregnancies was at 21% worldwide, with 26% in developed countries and 20% in developing countries. Pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates ) inside
18768-456: Was inconclusive. Murder Note: Varies by jurisdiction Note: Varies by jurisdiction Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse committed with the necessary intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisdiction . This state of mind may, depending upon the jurisdiction, distinguish murder from other forms of unlawful homicide , such as manslaughter . Manslaughter
18906-444: Was unavoidable. As a general rule, manslaughter constitutes reckless killing, but manslaughter also includes criminally negligent (i.e. grossly negligent) homicide. Unintentional killing that results from an involuntary action generally cannot constitute murder. After examining the evidence, a judge or jury (depending on the jurisdiction) would determine whether the killing was intentional or unintentional. In jurisdictions using
19044-568: Was wrong. Under the French Penal Code : Article 122-1 Those who successfully argue a defense based on a mental disorder are usually referred to mandatory clinical treatment until they are certified safe to be released back into the community, rather than prison. Postpartum depression (also known as post-natal depression) is recognized in some countries as a mitigating factor in cases of infanticide . According to Susan Friedman, "Two dozen nations have infanticide laws that decrease
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