The plea of pregnancy, generally adduced by female felons capitally convicted, which they take care to provide for, previous to their trials; every gaol having, as the Beggar's Opera informs us, one or more child getters, who qualify the ladies for that expedient to procure a respite.
BELLY PLEA
Meaning of BELLY PLEA in English
Slang English vocab. Английский сленговый словарь. 2012