ABORTION
In an ideal world we would not need abortion. In an ideal world there would be no unplanned, unwanted pregnancies. However, abortion is a reality in the lives of many women; it is estimated that 65 million abortions are performed each year world-wide. We do not live in an ideal world.
Fortunately in Australia, where about 75,000-80,000 abortions are performed annually, we now have access to safe, legal abortion. Most of us would prefer not to have to think about it, but for many women abortion is a course of action they will consider at some time in their lives.
We are talking about ‘therapeutic’ or ‘induced’ or ‘surgical’ abortions, the type a doctor performs when a woman cannot continue with her pregnancy. Doctors often call miscarriages ‘abortions’ (sometimes ‘threatened’, ‘incomplete’ or complete abortions) so it can be a little confusing.
The World Health Organization guidelines define abortion as termination of pregnancy under twenty-two weeks gestation. Gestation is the period of development within the uterus, and is measured from the first day of the last normal menstrual period. (A full-term pregnancy is thirty-eight to forty weeks.)
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