Note: Information provided on this page is for reference only, please seek medical assistance when in doubt

Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo before viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is often called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced. The term abortion most commonly refers to the induced abortion of a human pregnancy.

Modern medicine utilizes medications and surgical procedures for induced abortion.

Surgical abortion consists of removing the fetus or embryo, placenta, and membranes by suction using a manual syringe

In medical abortion abortifacient pharmaceutical drugs are used to induce abortion. An oral preparation for medical abortion is commonly referred to as an abortion pill. Medical abortion became an alternative method of abortion with the availability of prostaglandin analogs in the 1970s and the antiprogestogen mifepristone in the 1980s.

Note: Abortion laws are different in different countries and in many countries abortion is illegal.

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