n [ C , U ]
the deliberate ending of a pregnancy at an early stage. Abortion is the subject of strong public debate, especially in the US. Some people are in favour of abortion; called pro-choice supporters, they support a woman’s right to choose whether to have a baby or not. On the opposite side are the pro-life campaigners, who believe in the right to life of the unborn child and think that abortion is wrong. US law says that abortion is legal during the first stages of pregnancy. The US government has tried to change the laws about abortion, but the changes have been disputed by federal courts and the courts have supported a woman’s right to abortion.