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[[Image:Baby.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A human fetus in the womb]]

[[Image:Baby.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A human fetus in the womb]]

'''Abortion''' is the induced termination of a [[pregnancy]].<ref>American Heritage Dictionary definition, [http://www.bartleby.com/61/7/A0020700.html abortion]</ref> The father of [[medicine]], [[Hippocrates]], expressly prohibited abortion in his ethical [[Oath]] long before [[Christianity]]. Today abortion is a billion-dollar industry<ref>http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/03/09/fetal.tissue/index.html</ref><ref>http://www.healthy.net/scr/news.asp?Id=8247</ref>  in the United States and Western Europe except for [[Ireland]], [[Malta]] and [[Poland]], where it is generally illegal.<ref>On April 10, 2007, Portugal legalized abortion up until the 10th week of pregnancy, with some conditions placed on the obtaining of consent for the abortion. Abortion remains illegal in Ireland, Malta and Poland.  See http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=50451</ref>

'''Abortion''' is the induced termination of a [[pregnancy]].<ref>American Heritage Dictionary definition, [http://www.bartleby.com/61/7/A0020700.html abortion]</ref> Abortion is a billion-dollar industry<ref>http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/03/09/fetal.tissue/index.html</ref><ref>http://www.healthy.net/scr/news.asp?Id=8247</ref>  in the United States and Western Europe except for [[Ireland]], [[Malta]] and [[Poland]], where it is generally illegal.<ref>On April 10, 2007, Portugal legalized abortion up until the 10th week of pregnancy, with some conditions placed on the obtaining of consent for the abortion. Abortion remains illegal in Ireland, Malta and Poland.  See http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=50451</ref>

==Health risks from abortion==

==Health risks from abortion==

There is no comparably funded organization opposing abortion, because there are no monetary rewards to defending human life.  Instead, candidates and supporters who oppose abortion are motivated by religious and ethical principles.

There is no comparably funded organization opposing abortion, because there are no monetary rewards to defending human life.  Instead, candidates and supporters who oppose abortion are motivated by religious and ethical principles.

== Legal History of Abortion in the United States ==

== History of Abortion ==

 

Prior to 1973 abortion was illegal in most of the United States, though a few states (such as Hawaii and New York) allowed it with restrictions.<ref>''A Timeline of Reproductive Rights'' [http://ecampus.bentley.edu/org/wc/reproductiverights.html The Women's Center]</ref> The U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 [[Roe v. Wade]]<ref>Online text of [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=410&page=113 Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)]</ref> decision ruled that abortions are lawful under the [[U.S. Constitution]] up to the point at which the fetus becomes able to survive outside the womb, and an accompanying decision issued the same day captioned [[Doe v. Bolton]] essentially legalized abortion in the unlimited discretion of the abortionist at any time during pregnancy, up to and including birth.  Conservatives immediately criticized these decisions as examples of [[Judicial Activism]].

Prior to 1973 abortion was illegal in most of the United States, though a few states (such as Hawaii and New York) allowed it with restrictions.<ref>''A Timeline of Reproductive Rights'' [http://ecampus.bentley.edu/org/wc/reproductiverights.html The Women's Center]</ref> The U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 [[Roe v. Wade]]<ref>Online text of [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=410&page=113 Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)]</ref> decision ruled that abortions are lawful under the [[U.S. Constitution]] up to the point at which the fetus becomes able to survive outside the womb, and an accompanying decision issued the same day captioned [[Doe v. Bolton]] essentially legalized abortion in the unlimited discretion of the abortionist at any time during pregnancy, up to and including birth.  Conservatives immediately criticized these decisions as examples of [[Judicial Activism]].