Termination of pregnancy is common around the world. It may be a choice for somebody and a circumstance for another. But the problem of abortion has been dealt with in different ways in different countries. In many places in the world, abortion is legally acceptable while at some places, it is illegal. Some countries have their own laws for exceptional cases, while some have no exceptions and it is completely illegal.
The doctors online offer information about the international status of abortion law which has exceptions in some countries like rape, maternal life in danger, health crisis, mental health issues, socio-economic factors and fetal defects. At many places, not even these exceptions are ruled out.
The earliest laws which regulated abortion were more concerned with preservation and increase in number of males and concerned with caste and class purity. Legally, abortion was not outlawed before, but the wives who had it without their husband’s permission would be severely punished. This was an era of early 18th century wherein slavery used to exist as could slaves who induced abortions in highborn women.
The scientific knowledge about the human misoprostol bolivia development after fertilization was known in the later part of the century and that made the abortion laws stricter. Medicine was also progressing substantially scientifically, leaving behind the quackery including midwifery and herbalism, though everything is coming back now in the 21st century.
The countries with legislation like Soviet Union and Iceland, were among the first ones to allow abortions legally, in 1920 and 1935. The later part of 20th century saw liberalization of abortion laws in many other countries like United Kingdom and United States of America, on the basis of violating the right to privacy. Canada discarded its criminal code regarding abortion in 1988. Even Ireland was affected with amendment to the Irish Constitution on the pretext of recognizing “the right to life of the unborn.”
Currently, the laws for abortion get strained between the societal norms and the legal laws and regulations. The laws pertaining to abortion are diverse as they are affected by cultural, moral and religious outlooks of various societies. Also, the right to privacy, right to reproductive health and the right to the security of the person work as major issues of human rights sometimes used for the justification and absence/presence and controlling such laws.
Even in those countries which have legally accepted abortion, there are some rules to be followed and criteria to be met. In the United States, in case of minor, the parents are contacted and generally in many states, a day’s waiting period is imposed and information about fetal development is exchanged.