Legal Dictionary of Pakistan

abortion,

The spontaneous or artificially induced expulsion of an embryo or fetus. 0 In Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court first recognized a woman's right to choose to end her pregnancy as a privacy right stemming from the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. 410 U.S. 113, 93 S.Ct. 1409 (1.973). 2.Archaic. At common law, the misdemeanor of causing a miscarriage or premature delivery of a fetus by means of any instrument, medicine, drug, or other means. 0 Many American states made this a statutory felony until the Roe v. Wade decision. - Also termed procuring an abortion. - abort, vb. - abortionist, n The word 'abortion,' in the dictionary sense, means no more than the expulsion of a fetus before it is capable of living. In this sense it is a synonym of 'miscarriage.' With respect to human beings, however, it has long been used to refer to an intentionally-induced miscarriage as distinguished from one resulting naturally or by accident. There has been some tendency to use the word to mean a criminal miscarriage, and there would be distinct advantages in assigning this meaning to it; but there are so many references to lawful abortion or justification for abortion that it is necessary to speak of 'criminal abortion' or the 'crime of abortion' to emphasize the element of culpability." Rollin M. Perkins & Ronald N. Boyce, Criminal Law 186-87 (3d ed. 1982). therapeutic abortion. An abortion carried out for medical reasons. Until recently it was common to speak of 'therapeutic abortion.' The literal meaning of the term is an abortion induced for medical reasons, but it was commonly understood to mean one for the purpose of saving the mother's life ...." Rollin M. Perkins & Ronald N. Boyce, Criminal Law 193 (3d ed. 1982).