ABORTION

Having an abortion is a highly personal decision. Yet, abortion remains a controversial topic in many cultures, and in a considerable number of countries and states abortion is either prohibited or strictly regulated. Abortion is the practice of terminating a pregnancy after it has occurred, usually within the first few weeks or months after conception. There are many reasons why an abortion may be necessary or desired, from medical reasons such as danger to the mother's life and health or risks of serious genetic disorders in the fetus, to the personal choice of not wanting to have a baby in a specific situation or in certain circumstances of life. Because an abortion is irreversible and has substantial consequences for the mother's and the fetus' life (and because it speaks to the moral and religious attitudes in many), legislation and caselaw address questions such as when and how an abortion can be done, how it is paid for and how access to it is organized.