Abortion

Abortion is, by the most common definition, synonymous with induced abortion, that is, the deliberate (or induced) termination of pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or a fetus, generally followed by its death. Under a more technical definition, it can also refer to miscarriage, also called spontaneous abortion, that is, the non-induced termination of pregnancy. For the sake of simplicity, this article refers to induced abortion as simply "abortion" and to non-induced abortion as "miscarriage".

Whether and to what extent abortion should be encouraged, permitted, discouraged, legalized, etc. is a social and moral issue that has long divided many, including theologians, philosophers, politicians, and legislators. This division has been especially regarding under what circumstances an abortion should be practiced, e.g., should it be allowed in any case, if the parent has socioeconomic difficulties, or only in extreme cases, such as when the parent was raped or is at risk of dying if the abortion is not performed? Another common issue is how late into a pregnancy abortions should be practiced. Whether fetuses and embryos can or cannot be considered people or beings with rights is another debated issue. This article is mostly focused on that debate.

Those who are against abortion (to differing degrees), many of which are conservatives and Christians, call themselves pro-life, but are called "anti-choice" or "pro-forced-birth" by their opposition. On the other hand, those who support abortion (also to differing degrees) call themselves pro-choice, while their opposition may call them "anti-life". More neutral terms for both can include simply "pro-abortion" and "anti-abortion".

Procedure
In the modern day, there are two main types of abortions: those performed with drugs to cause the womb to expel the fetus and those performed surgically, in which the fetus is manually removed. Most abortions are of the first kind, but the second kind is the only one that can be performed after three months of pregnancy.

Historically and even today under more precarious conditions, more rudimentary forms of abortion can be performed. Those are considered very unsafe for the parent.

Anti-abortion arguments
Anti-abortionists argue that embryos and/or fetuses are people, although they may disagree over when exactly personhood begins. If the abortion is performed when the embryo or fetus is already considered a person, then it is equaled to murder, and large-scale practice of abortion to genocide. Religious arguments can also play a hole in that debate; for example, instead of "personhood", one may ask when the soul enters the body.

Anti-abortionists also have other arguments, such as that abortions cause fetal pain, or that it can lead to breast cancer or psychological traumas in the mother.

Pro-abortion arguments
Pro-abortionists argue that embryos and fetuses are not people, although, just like the anti-abortionists, they may disagree over when exactly personhood begins. Overall, they agree that killing an embryo or fetus cannot be equaled to killing someone who was already born.

A pro-abortionist may also argue that unwanted children will likely grow in a economically lacking environment, be raised by parents who did not want them, or be raised in an orphanage, all of which will negatively affect its life. In other words, it is argued that an abortion prevents one from living an undesirable life.

It can also be argued that it is immoral to force the parent to go through pregnancy and giving birth.