Abortion

Abortion, the separation and expulsion of the contents of the uterus, occurring prior to the end of the third month of pregnancy. Premature labour is in rare cases artificially induced by accoucheurs where the life of the mother or the foetus is at stake. The crime of administering any medicine or drug, or using surgical implements, with the intent of procuring miscarriage, in both England and Scotland, is a crime at common law punishable by penal servitude or imprisonment. In the United States it is a felony and punishable by fine and imprisonment.