What is the basic definition of abortion?

What is the basic definition of abortion?

• A. The expulsion or extraction of an embryo or fetus before it is viable.
• B. The surgical removal of an embryo after viability.
• C. A medical procedure to stop pregnancy only after organ formation.
• D. The complete ending of all pregnancy-related symptoms.

Answer: (A)

Abortion is defined by the timing of the termination relative to fetal viability. The best answer describes the expulsion or extraction of an embryo or fetus before it is viable outside the womb. That viability threshold—when a fetus could survive outside the uterus with medical support—is what distinguishes abortion from other pregnancy outcomes. If termination occurs after viability, it’s not the standard definition of abortion. The other options imply termination after organ formation or focus on symptoms rather than the pregnancy itself, which isn’t how abortion is defined.

Abortion is defined by the timing of the termination relative to fetal viability. The best answer describes the expulsion or extraction of an embryo or fetus before it is viable outside the womb. That viability threshold—when a fetus could survive outside the uterus with medical support—is what distinguishes abortion from other pregnancy outcomes. If termination occurs after viability, it’s not the standard definition of abortion. The other options imply termination after organ formation or focus on symptoms rather than the pregnancy itself, which isn’t how abortion is defined.