noun
situation where an unborn baby leaves the womb before the end of pregnancy, especially during the first twenty-eight weeks of pregnancy when it is not likely to survive birth
to have an abortion = to have an operation to make a fetus leave the womb during the first period of pregnancy; the girl asked the clinic if she could have an abortion; she had two abortions before her first child was born
complete abortion = abortion where the whole contents of the uterus are expelled
criminal abortion or illegal abortion = abortion which is carried out illegally
habitual abortion or recurrent abortion = condition where a woman has several abortions with successive pregnancies
incomplete abortion = abortion where part of the contents of the uterus is not expelled
induced abortion = abortion which is produced by drugs or by surgery
legal abortion = abortion which is carried out legally
spontaneous abortion = MISCARRIAGE
therapeutic abortion = abortion which is carried out because the health of the mother is in danger
threatened abortion = possible abortion in the early stages of pregnancy, indicated by bleeding