Therapeutic or Preventive Procedure
induced abortion
[ in-doosd, -dyoosd uh-bawr-shuhn ]
Subclass of:
Obstetric Surgical Procedures
Also called:
Termination of Pregnancy
Definitions related to induced abortion (procedure):
  • (abortion) An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. It uses medicine or surgery to remove the embryo or fetus and placenta from the uterus. The procedure is done by a licensed health care professional. The decision to end a pregnancy is very personal. If you are thinking of having an abortion, most health care providers advise counseling.
    MedlinePlus
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
  • (induced abortion) Deliberate termination of pregnancy, generally through the use of surgical procedures or drugs.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • (abortion, induced) Intentional removal of a fetus from the uterus by any of a number of techniques. (POPLINE, 1978)
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
  • In the US, abortion of a previable fetus is legal, although state-specific restrictions (eg, mandatory waiting periods, gestational age restrictions) exist. In the US, about half of pregnancies are unintended. About 40% of unintended pregnancies end in induced abortion; 90% of procedures are done during the 1st trimester.
    Merck Manuals
    Merck & Co., Inc., 2020
  • Abortion, the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus before it has reached the stage of viability (in human beings, usually about the 20th week of gestation). An abortion may occur spontaneously, in which case it is also called a miscarriage, or it may be brought on purposefully, in which case it is...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
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