Welcome to Pregnancy Guide
Abortion Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
You may also listen to this article by using the following controls.
Abortion Laws: National and International
from:Abortion laws are those legislations which describe whether or not the practice of abortion is allowed in certain places, and how it can be practiced. As the technical details vary greatly from country to country, I will be focusing on general details for general geological areas.
Abortion laws were discussed in discourse all the way back to the ancient Greek and Roman times in the writings of such people as Plato and Aristotle, who favored abortion in certain circumstances, and Hippocrates who completely disagreed with the practice. Certain writers of this time period even discussed different abortifacient herbs – or herbs that cause abortion - and how to use them. Religion has always played a major role in the legalization or banning of abortion. Many Catholic popes have declared abortion a “sin against marriage”. In the 1800s, Western countries began making abortion illegal because of moral dilemmas and because the practice of abortion at that time was so dangerous. However, abortions did not decrease due to the bans. This is a major reason why in the 20th century legislation was passed in many countries legalizing the practice of abortion. Most countries now have legalized abortion procedures that are safer than other medical treatments available.
International abortion laws are difficult to uphold due to individual country’s laws. However, the United Nations, as well as other international organizations, has instituted a number of legislations regulating abortion and dealing with women’s rights. One such legislation is the 1994 Programme of Action, which states that abortion should not be used as a practice of family planning. It also recognizes that in countries where abortion is legal, those practices should be safe. In other words, this legislation helps make sure that abortion procedures are medically regulated and practiced by licensed professionals. Another of the international abortion laws states that women have the right to make a decision about her body without being coerced or punished. This legislation is called the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action.
Individual countries ultimately make their own abortion laws. In Africa, most countries allow Therapeutic abortion, but in cases of rape, socio-economic factors and fetal defects, abortions are not allowed. On demand abortions are illegal in almost every country. In Asian countries like China, North Korea and Cambodia, all abortions are legal. In Japan, abortions are only legal in the first and second trimester, and on demand abortion are not allowed. In Europe, most countries have relaxed abortion laws, except for in Malta and Vatican City, where all abortions are illegal. Ireland, San Marino, and Andorra allow for therapeutic abortions only. In the Middle East, only Bahrain allows all types of abortion; most countries provide for the health of the woman. In Canada and the United States, all types of abortion are legal, though on demand abortions are a bit more restricted in the US.
Abortion News
Trial of doctor in abortion cases underway in Kansas (McClatchy Washington Bureau)
WICHITA — Abortion provider George Tiller may be the one on trial in a Sedgwick County courtroom, but the deeds and misdeeds of Paul Morrison and Phill Kline, both former Kansas attorneys general, proved to be the subject of a lengthy — and at times, salacious — legal drama Tuesday.
Read more...DA Says He Won't Take Abortion Records (KCTV 5 Kansas City)
Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline says he won't take records from a criminal case against a suburban Kansas City abortion clinic with him when he leaves office.
Read more...Kline Says He Won't Take Abortion Records When He Leaves Office (FOX 4 News Kansas City)
Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline says he won't take records from a criminal case against a suburban Kansas City abortion clinic with him when he leaves office. But attorneys for the Planned Parenthood clinic in Overland Park say they're not satisfied with his statements.
Read more...Clinic, DA back in court in Kansas abortion case (The Wichita Eagle)
Johnson County prosecutor Phill Kline and attorneys for an abortion clinic are scheduled to be back in court in a dispute over records in a criminal case against the clinic. Kline has filed 107 charges against Planned Parenthood's clinic in Overland Park, alleging it falsified records and performed illegal late-term abortions. The clinic denies the allegations. Kline is leaving office as ...
Read more...Coalition will leave abortion law alone (The Advocate)
IN ANOTHER signal that the NSW Coalition is claiming the centre ground in state politics, its justice spokesman, Greg Smith, said he would not impose further restrictions on abortion, despite his long association with the anti-abortion movement.
Read more...11:35 a.m. Clinic, DA back in court in Kansas abortion case (The Joplin Globe)
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Johnson County prosecutor Phill Kline and attorneys for an abortion clinic are scheduled to be back in court in a dispute over records in a criminal case against the clinic.
Read more...Group to remind lawmakers abortion ban proposals fail (The Argus Leader)
South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families wants to remind the Legislature that their constituents don't want another measure that bans abortion in the state. Post-election surveying by the group showed people want the focus to shift to preventing unintended pregnancies, co-chairwoman Jan Nicolay said Wednesday. "The people of South Dakota do not want government intruding into their personal ...
Read more...