Abortion

Abortion

The intentional or unintentional termination of a pregnancy before birth occurs.

Spontaneous Abortion

The unintentional, natural termination of a pregnancy, commonly referred to as a miscarriage; because it lacks intention, it does not present a moral dilemma.

Therapeutic Abortion

An abortion performed explicitly to save the life or protect the health of the mother.

Induced (Elective) Abortion

An intentional abortion performed for whatever reason is deemed necessary by the mother.

Pro-Choice Perspective

The moral position that emphasizes the pregnant woman's bodily autonomy, personal ownership, health, happiness, and legal or moral rights to choose whether to carry a pregnancy to term.

Pro-Life Perspective

The moral position that emphasizes the personhood of the fetus, its moral rights, potentiality for life, and the human duties owed to it.

False Dilemma (Abortion Language Fallacy)

The problematic "either-or" framing created by reducing a highly complex, nuanced ethical topic down to just two strictly polarized labels ("pro-life" vs. "pro-choice").

Bodily Autonomy

The ethical principle of self-determination, stating that a rational individual has an absolute right to control their own body and medical decisions.

Zygote

The initial stage of prenatal development spanning from conception to implantation, roughly lasting from weeks 0 to 2.

Embryo

The second stage of prenatal development spanning from weeks 2 to 12, characterized by major structural development, including the detection of a heartbeat.

Fetus

The final stage of prenatal development spanning from week 12 until birth (36+ weeks), characterized by rapid growth, quickening, and the attainment of viability.

Quickening

The specific milestone during pregnancy when the mother can first physically feel the fetus moving inside the womb.

Viability

The critical biological milestone at which a fetus is developed enough to potentially survive outside the womb on its own or with medical assistance.