ABORTION
The termination of a pregnancy other than by live birth of a child. An abortion is any process of ending a pregnancy that does not result in delivery of a child. While the term includes miscarriage and other biological or accidental events, it more often implies an induced abortion, which is an artificial procedure, usually a medical intervention to expel the fetus from the uterus. Abortion is controversial in the United States, and many states have regulated its use in the latter two trimesters of pregnancy. Still, the decision to have an abortion is an aspect of the constitutionally protected right of the mother to privacy.