Abortion facts for kids

An abortion is when a pregnancy ends early, meaning a baby is not born. This happens before the developing baby is old enough to live outside its mother's body.

A pregnancy usually lasts about 38 weeks, or around 40 weeks from the mother's last period. For the first eight weeks, the developing baby is called an embryo. After eight weeks, it is called a fetus for the rest of the pregnancy.

Sometimes, a pregnancy ends naturally. This is often called a miscarriage. Other times, people choose to end a pregnancy early. This is called an induced abortion. When people use the word "abortion," they often mean an induced abortion.

Different Views on Abortion

People have strong feelings and different ideas about abortion. These ideas often involve beliefs about life, health, and personal choices.

Pro-choice

People who are pro-choice believe that a pregnant person should have the right to decide whether to continue or end their pregnancy. They think that laws should allow people to make this personal choice.

Pro-life

People who are pro-life believe that abortion is wrong. They think that laws should protect the life of the developing baby and not allow abortions.

See also

In Spanish: Aborto para niños