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margin: 0 0 0.5em 0.5em; text-align:left; border: 1px solid #DC143C; width:175px;"> <tbody><tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center; color:white; background-color:#DC143C"><b>Terminate processing activity</b><br /><a class="mw-selflink selflink"><font size="4" color="white"><b>Abortion</b></font></a> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#FFEFD5;" align="center"><a href="/wiki/Category:Abortion" title="Category:Abortion"><img alt="Icon hanger.svg" src="/w/images/thumb/2/23/Icon_hanger.svg/100px-Icon_hanger.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" srcset="/w/images/thumb/2/23/Icon_hanger.svg/150px-Icon_hanger.svg.png 1.5x, /w/images/thumb/2/23/Icon_hanger.svg/200px-Icon_hanger.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="200" data-file-height="200" /></a> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; color:white; background-color:#DC143C; text-align:center;"><b>Medically approved</b> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; background-color:#FFEFD5;"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Abortion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pro-life" title="Pro-life">Pro-life</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pro-choice" title="Pro-choice">Pro-choice</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/History_of_abortion" title="History of abortion">History of abortion</a></li></ul> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; color:white; background-color:#DC143C; text-align:center;"><b>In the back alley</b> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; background-color:#FFEFD5;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Nuremberg_Files" title="Nuremberg Files">Nuremberg Files</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reproductive_rights" title="Reproductive rights">Reproductive rights</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/George_Tiller" title="George Tiller">George Tiller</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paul_Hill" title="Paul Hill">Paul Hill</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Depopulation_conspiracy_theory" title="Depopulation conspiracy theory">Depopulation conspiracy theory</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Day_of_Tears" title="Day of Tears">Day of Tears</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Personhood_laws" title="Personhood laws">Personhood laws</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Texas_Right_to_Life" title="Texas Right to Life">Texas Right to Life</a></li></ul> <div class="vte plainlinks" style="font-size:smaller; text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Template:Abortion" title="Template:Abortion">v</a> - <a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Abortion" title="Template talk:Abortion">t</a> - <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Abortion&action=edit">e</a></div> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span><a href="/wiki/Donald_Trump" title="Donald Trump">Trump</a> won't drop out. Hey, <a href="/wiki/Republican" class="mw-redirect" title="Republican">Republicans</a>, how does it feel to be forced to carry something to term?</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—ceejayoz in October 2016, before the monster-baby was born<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1">[1]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>Abortion</b>, in a technical sense, is any expulsion of the <a href="/wiki/Embryo" title="Embryo">embryo</a> or <a href="/wiki/Fetus" class="mw-redirect" title="Fetus">fetus</a> from the womb before it is able to survive independently. In most non-medical contexts, it refers to a range of medical procedures<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2">[2]</a></sup> used to deliberately terminate a <a href="/wiki/Pregnancy" title="Pregnancy">pregnancy</a>. This article focuses on this debate about the legality of induced abortion, specifically within modern "Western" culture. </p><p>Whether and to what extent induced abortion should be encouraged, permitted, or discouraged is a social issue that has long divided <a href="/wiki/Theology" title="Theology">theologians</a>, <a href="/wiki/Philosophy" title="Philosophy">philosophers</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Law" title="Law">legislators</a>. In most parts of the world, these issues continue to be debated, especially over what specific legal limits should be placed on abortion throughout the pregnancy, how late into a pregnancy induced abortions are legal, and what rights minors have to access abortions. </p><p>The debate about the legality of abortion generally divides into two camps. People who believe that abortion should be legal (sometimes with exceptions) are most often called "<a href="/wiki/Pro-choice" title="Pro-choice">pro-choice</a>" or "pro-abortion", and are often called "anti-life" by their opposition. People who believe that abortion should be illegal (sometimes with exceptions) are most often called "<a href="/wiki/Pro-life" title="Pro-life">pro-life</a>", "pro-birth", or "anti-abortion", and are often called "anti-choice" or "pro-forced-birth" by their opposition. </p> <div id="toc" class="toc" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading"><input type="checkbox" role="button" id="toctogglecheckbox" class="toctogglecheckbox" style="display:none" /><div class="toctitle" lang="en" dir="ltr"><h2 id="mw-toc-heading">Contents</h2><span class="toctogglespan"><label class="toctogglelabel" for="toctogglecheckbox"></label></span></div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#Overview"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Overview</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-2"><a href="#History"><span class="tocnumber">1.1</span> <span class="toctext">History</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="#Procedure"><span class="tocnumber">1.2</span> <span class="toctext">Procedure</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-4"><a href="#Legality_and_morality"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Legality and morality</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5"><a href="#Reasons_abortions_are_performed"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Reasons abortions are performed</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6"><a href="#Religious_views"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Religious views</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="#Abrahamic_religions"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Abrahamic religions</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="#Unitarian_Universalism"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Unitarian Universalism</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-9"><a href="#Buddhism"><span class="tocnumber">4.3</span> <span class="toctext">Buddhism</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10"><a href="#Wicca"><span class="tocnumber">4.4</span> <span class="toctext">Wicca</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11"><a href="#Pastafarianism"><span class="tocnumber">4.5</span> <span class="toctext">Pastafarianism</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12"><a href="#Cthulhuism"><span class="tocnumber">4.6</span> <span class="toctext">Cthulhuism</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-13"><a href="#Secret_ingredient"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Secret ingredient</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-14"><a href="#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15"><a href="#Essays"><span class="tocnumber">6.1</span> <span class="toctext">Essays</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-16"><a href="#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-17"><a href="#Notes"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">Notes</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-18"><a href="#References"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li> </ul> </div> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Overview">Overview</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Overview">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="History">History</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: History">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/History_of_abortion" title="History of abortion">History of abortion</a></div> <p>It is likely that the desire to terminate a pregnancy has been around as long as people have understood the cause of pregnancy, basic anatomy, and basic <a href="/wiki/Herbalism" class="mw-redirect" title="Herbalism">herbalism</a>. It is known that <i>every</i> culture studied has some form of abortifacient,<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3">[3]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-jw_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-jw-4">[4]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-eve_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-eve-5">[5]</a></sup> or at least something they believed to be and accepted as an abortifacient. The first recorded cases of the use of abortifacient are from <a href="/wiki/Egypt" title="Egypt">Egypt</a>, 1500 <a href="/wiki/BCE" class="mw-redirect" title="BCE">BCE</a>. <a href="/wiki/Chinese" class="mw-redirect" title="Chinese">Chinese</a> writings from 700 BCE contain lists of herbs that will end a pregnancy, as well as several references in Chinese folklore to centuries-old practices; both suggest the knowledge for ending pregnancies goes back 5000 years.<sup id="cite_ref-eve_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-eve-5">[5]</a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Old_Testament" title="Old Testament">Old Testament</a> says abortion or killing of a child under 5 is less serious than murder.<sup>[<a href="/wiki/Help:References" title="Help:References"><i>citation needed</i></a>]</sup> The partner of the carrier of the child or fetus (typically the father) should be compensated (not the carrier, usually the mother). The compensation is higher if a boy is killed than if a girl is killed.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6">[6]</a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Aristotle" title="Aristotle">Aristotle</a>, the Jewish Midrush, and 1<sup>st</sup> century Christian texts discuss the <a href="/wiki/Moral" class="mw-redirect" title="Moral">moral</a> aspect regarding how far into a pregnancy it was acceptable to have abortions, and when not. The most common conclusion from antiquity (and one that is generally shared by most people today) found among "medical" people, theologians, and legislators was that before there was appreciable movement, (40 days to 3 months, depending on the culture in question) abortion was considered to be an acceptable choice for people.<sup id="cite_ref-jw_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-jw-4">[4]</a></sup> </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Procedure">Procedure</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Procedure">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>There are two types of abortion performed by the <a href="/wiki/Medicine" title="Medicine">medical establishment</a>. "Medical" abortion, which is the administering of <a href="/wiki/RU-486" title="RU-486">two drugs</a> over several days to cause the uterus to expel the fetus, and surgical abortion which manually removes the fetus from the parent. Medical abortions must be done within 50 days of conception, obviously limiting its use to first term abortions. In 2008, in the <a href="/wiki/US" class="mw-redirect" title="US">US</a>, 17% of abortions are "medical".<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7">[7]</a></sup> As of 2022 however, about half are now medical.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8">[8]</a></sup> In <a href="/wiki/Europe" title="Europe">Europe</a> and the <a href="/wiki/UK" class="mw-redirect" title="UK">UK</a>, the percentage of medical abortions ranges from 50 to 75%.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9">[9]</a></sup> Surgical abortions are the only method which can end a pregnancy in the second trimester or later, and include <i>dilation and curettage</i>, <i>dilation and evacuation</i>, and <i><a href="/wiki/Intact_dilation_and_extraction" title="Intact dilation and extraction">intact dilation and extraction</a></i> (often referred to in U.S. politics by the <a href="/wiki/Loaded_language" title="Loaded language">emotionally-charged buzzword</a> "partial-birth abortion"). Contrary to what anti-abortion <a href="/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty,_and_doubt" title="Fear, uncertainty, and doubt">alarmists</a> claim, most surgical abortions are safe, quick and insufficiently painful (similar to bad <a href="/wiki/Menstruation" title="Menstruation">menstrual</a> cramps) to require anesthesia.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10">[10]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Legality_and_morality">Legality and morality</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Legality and morality">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/Morality_of_abortion" title="Morality of abortion">Morality of abortion</a></div> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:302px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Abortion_Laws.svg" class="image"><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Abortion_Laws.svg/330px-Abortion_Laws.svg.png" decoding="async" width="300" height="152" class="thumbimage" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Abortion_Laws.svg/500px-Abortion_Laws.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Abortion_Laws.svg/960px-Abortion_Laws.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="2756" data-file-height="1399" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Abortion_Laws.svg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>Map of abortion laws by country (go to image page for legend).</div></div></div><div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:302px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Map_of_US,_pre-abortion_counselling_law.svg" class="image"><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Map_of_US%2C_pre-abortion_counselling_law.svg/330px-Map_of_US%2C_pre-abortion_counselling_law.svg.png" decoding="async" width="300" height="186" class="thumbimage" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Map_of_US%2C_pre-abortion_counselling_law.svg/500px-Map_of_US%2C_pre-abortion_counselling_law.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Map_of_US%2C_pre-abortion_counselling_law.svg/600px-Map_of_US%2C_pre-abortion_counselling_law.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="959" data-file-height="593" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Map_of_US,_pre-abortion_counselling_law.svg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>Mandatory pre-abortion counselling by state as of 2006 (go to image page for legend).</div></div></div> <p>The morality and legality of abortion are hotly contested issues, certainly within the United States but also across many countries of the world. With the overturning of <i><a href="/wiki/Roe_v._Wade" title="Roe v. Wade">Roe v. Wade</a></i> in the U.S., abortion's nationwide legality is a giant question mark, though no longer a guaranteed protection. </p><p>Generally, debate will focus on when life starts, whether rape or incest or other complications justify abortion, and the competing interests of the person with the baby and/or their spouse (or more), and the baby. </p><p>Effective response to the <a href="/wiki/Zika" title="Zika">Zika</a> <a href="/wiki/Virus" title="Virus">virus</a> is compromised in the United States because <a href="/wiki/Republican_Party" title="Republican Party">Republicans</a> are reluctant to fund organisations like <a href="/wiki/Planned_Parenthood" title="Planned Parenthood">Planned Parenthood</a> to do management and screening. Also, Republicans do not like abortions as an option in the case of severely affected and disabled fetuses.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11">[11]</a></sup> </p><p>Most recently, Ohio lawmakers tried to pass a bill that would criminalise not reimplanting an ectopic pregnancy in the womb, despite doctors stating that this procedure was 'impossible'. Dr. Daniel Grossman described the idea as 'pure science fiction'. Ohio obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. David Hackney posted on Twitter, saying “I don’t believe I’m typing this again but, that’s impossible. We’ll all be going to jail”.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12">[12]</a></sup> However, this opinion is not shared by the majority of Republican voters, about 2/3 of whom are in favor of abortion rights, at least under some circumstances. </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Reasons_abortions_are_performed">Reasons abortions are performed</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Reasons abortions are performed">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>There are so many reasons people decide to have an abortion that it is difficult to know them all, and of course these reasons can vary among different countries and different groups. Most anti-abortion people don't take the time appreciating the reasons behind abortion, of course. </p><p>A 2004 survey<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13">[13]</a></sup> on 1,209 U.S. women who had abortions showed that their main reasons were the following: </p> <ul><li>74% said that <b>having a baby would dramatically change my life</b>, because <b>would interfere with education</b> (38%), <b>would interfere with job/employment/career</b> (38%), or <b>have other children or dependents</b> (32%).</li> <li>73% said that <b>can't afford a baby now</b>, because <b>unmarried</b> (42%), <b>student or planning to study</b> (34%), or <b>can't afford a baby and child care</b> (28%).</li> <li>48% said that <b>don't want to be a single mother or having relationship problems</b>, because <b>not sure about relationship</b> (19%), <b>Partner and I can't or don't want to get married</b> (12%), <b>not in a relationship right now</b> (11%), <b>relationship or marriage may break up soon</b> (11%), or <b>husband or partner is abusive to me or my children</b> (2%).</li> <li>38% said that <b>have completed my childbearing</b>.</li> <li>32% said that <b>not ready for a(nother) child</b>.</li> <li>25% said that <b>don't want people to know I had sex or got pregnant</b>.</li> <li>14% said that <b>husband or partner wants me to have an abortion</b>.</li> <li>13% claimed <b>possible problems affecting the health of the fetus</b>.</li> <li>12% said <b>physical problem with my health</b>.</li> <li>6% said that <b>parents want me to have an abortion</b>.</li> <li>1% said <b>was a victim of <a href="/wiki/Rape" title="Rape">rape</a></b>.</li> <li><0.5% said that <b>became pregnant as a result of <a href="/wiki/Incest" title="Incest">incest</a></b>.</li></ul> <p>Percentages overlap because of multiple reasons. </p><p>It is not well-researched on the numbers trans men and non-binary persons go for abortions, but it's likely for similar reasons as above. As abortion bans and discussion tend to target cis women, trans men and non-binary persons are usually left out of the debate, but their needs are important too, and there's an ongoing fight for gender inclusive language.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14">[14]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Religious_views">Religious views</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Religious views">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/Religion_and_abortion" title="Religion and abortion">Religion and abortion</a></div> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Abrahamic_religions">Abrahamic religions</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Abrahamic religions">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/Abrahamic_religions" class="mw-redirect" title="Abrahamic religions">Abrahamic religions</a></div> <p>It is known that abortifacients<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15">[note 1]</a></sup> were known in the ancient <a href="/wiki/Middle_East" title="Middle East">Middle East</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16">[15]</a></sup> so it is likely they existed in ancient <a href="/wiki/Israel" title="Israel">Israel</a>. Yet neither the <a href="/wiki/Torah" title="Torah">Torah</a>, nor the <a href="/wiki/Bible" title="Bible">Bible</a>, as it developed over history mentions the practice. Only through interpretation can any link be drawn. </p><p>'Pro-life' groups cite the numerous injunctions against murder in both the New<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17">[16]</a></sup> and Old<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18">[17]</a></sup> Testaments, and argue that this forbids abortion — after all, the foetus was not convicted in a fair trial (it is not <a href="/wiki/Capital_punishment" title="Capital punishment">judicial execution</a>, which many pro-life conservatives support), and it is not an act of <a href="/wiki/War" title="War">war</a> (under which circumstances most Christians might accept killing), and thus it is murder. With the minimum age at which a foetus can survive outside its womb being pushed back further and further, in some cases past cut-off dates for abortion, such groups thus argue that foetuses are being aborted that could survive on their own (albeit with medical help) — to abort them, therefore, is murder, as mentioned above, and is Biblically prohibited. There is also a tenuous argument for distinct <a href="/wiki/Personhood" class="mw-redirect" title="Personhood">personhood</a> before birth in <a href="/wiki/RationalWiki:Annotated_Bible/Jeremiah#Jeremiah_1:5" title="RationalWiki:Annotated Bible/Jeremiah">Jeremiah 1:5</a> which states that, "before I formed you in the womb I chose you"; this is commonly interpreted by pro-life groups as implying separate existence before birth, but, given the context, it is just as likely to refer to divine foreknowledge. (Though wouldn't "before I formed you" imply personhood <i>before</i> conception?) </p><p>An argument has developed, on the other hand, that the Bible attaches less 'personhood' to foetuses and very young children. <a href="/wiki/RationalWiki:Annotated_Bible/Exodus#Exodus_21:22" title="RationalWiki:Annotated Bible/Exodus">Exodus 21:22</a>, a mere ten verses after the above injunction against murder, states that, if a man hits a woman, causing a miscarriage or premature birth, but no serious injury, he should be subject to a court-mediated fine from the woman's husband. If this was the case, then the act of causing a miscarriage could not be construed as 'murder' (since compensation was not biblically allowed for murder<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19">[18]</a></sup>). This, while relying on a fair amount of extrapolation beyond the text itself, would seem to justify abortion, as it does not involve the taking of a human life. Furthermore, <a href="/wiki/RationalWiki:Annotated_Bible/Numbers#Numbers_5:11" title="RationalWiki:Annotated Bible/Numbers">Numbers 5:11-31</a> seems to outline a priest-administered test for unfaithfulness, by administering an abortifacient, 'bitter water', that would show if a woman had conceived (presumably out of wedlock). </p><p>There is also some precedent for <a href="/wiki/Examples_of_God_personally_killing_people" title="Examples of God personally killing people">divinely caused abortions</a>: <a href="/wiki/RationalWiki:Annotated_Bible/Hosea#Hosea_9:11" title="RationalWiki:Annotated Bible/Hosea">Hosea 9:11-16</a> (in which Hosea prays for God to cause Ephraim's women to miscarry). However, there is evidence that the early Christians taught against abortion.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20">[19]</a></sup> </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Unitarian_Universalism">Unitarian Universalism</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Unitarian Universalism">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism" title="Unitarian Universalism">Unitarian Universalism</a></div> <p>The Unitarian Universalist Church strongly supports abortion rights. </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Buddhism">Buddhism</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Buddhism">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:302px;"><a href="/wiki/File:AngkorWatAbortionAD1150.JPG" class="image"><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/AngkorWatAbortionAD1150.JPG/330px-AngkorWatAbortionAD1150.JPG" decoding="async" width="300" height="206" class="thumbimage" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/AngkorWatAbortionAD1150.JPG/450px-AngkorWatAbortionAD1150.JPG 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/AngkorWatAbortionAD1150.JPG 2x" data-file-width="497" data-file-height="342" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:AngkorWatAbortionAD1150.JPG" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>Bas relief of a <a href="/wiki/Massage" title="Massage">massage</a> abortion at Angkor Wat, <a href="/wiki/Cambodia" title="Cambodia">Cambodia</a></div></div></div> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/Buddhism" title="Buddhism">Buddhism</a></div> <p>Buddhist views differ, but the <a href="/wiki/Dalai_Lama" title="Dalai Lama">Dalai Lama</a> said that abortion should be viewed according to each situation.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21">[20]</a></sup> </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Wicca">Wicca</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Wicca">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/Wicca" title="Wicca">Wicca</a></div> <p>Wiccans similarly have varying views on the issue, with no set precedent. </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Pastafarianism">Pastafarianism</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Pastafarianism">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/Pastafarianism" title="Pastafarianism">Pastafarianism</a></div> <p>It seems that the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, known as Pastafarianism, takes no formal position.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22">[21]</a></sup> </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Cthulhuism">Cthulhuism</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Cthulhuism">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/Cthulhu" class="mw-redirect" title="Cthulhu">Cthulhu</a></div> <p>Cthulhu worshippers promise that the Great Old One will treat all fetuses equally when he rises from his sleep to eat humankind. </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Secret_ingredient">Secret ingredient</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Secret ingredient">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/Anti-vaccination_movement#Aborted_fetuses" title="Anti-vaccination movement">Anti-vaccination movement § Aborted fetuses</a></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Conspiracy_theory" title="Conspiracy theory">An unfounded fear</a> common to anti-abortion <i><a href="/wiki/Crank_magnetism" title="Crank magnetism">and</a></i> <a href="/wiki/Anti-vaccination" class="mw-redirect" title="Anti-vaccination">anti-vaccination</a> <a href="/wiki/Crank" title="Crank">"activists"</a> is that aborted fetuses are used in vaccines. In short: they're not. Some vaccines were derived from particular cell lines with an aborted fetus as a source. People seem to have huge issues of distinguishing cell lines and entire aborted fetuses! </p><p>Furthermore, there are claims that food and soft drink companies (Pepsi is usually the target) are using aborted fetuses as ingredients. This scare led to a bill proposed in <a href="/wiki/Oklahoma" class="mw-redirect" title="Oklahoma">Oklahoma</a> in 2012 to ban the use of aborted fetuses as ingredients in food products.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23">[22]</a></sup> This is also false, of course. The claim comes from the fact that a company that produces additives, Senomyx, is experimenting with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HEK_293" class="extiw" title="wp:HEK 293" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#477979 !important;" title="Wikipedia: HEK 293">HEK 293</span></a><sup><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/12px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/18px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/24px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="128" /></sup> cells, which were derived from an aborted fetus in the 1970s.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24">[23]</a></sup> </p><p>Not caring about <a href="/wiki/Fact" title="Fact">facts</a>, Oklahoma State Senator Ralph Shortey introduced a bill that would make it illegal to use aborted fetuses in "consumables".<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25">[24]</a></sup> Why? "I heard about it somewhere on the internet, that some companies were using aborted fetuses in food, and they had to be stopped".<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26">[25]</a></sup> He did clarify on the floor, that it was "more complex than that",<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27">[26]</a></sup> though his timing seems to suggest he didn't know the first article he found was a serious misrepresentation of the truth. </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="See_also">See also</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: See also">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Barnett_Slepian" title="Barnett Slepian">Barnett Slepian</a>, doctor</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Birth_control" title="Birth control">Birth control</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Circumventing_Roe_v._Wade" title="Circumventing Roe v. Wade">Circumventing Roe v. Wade‎</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crisis_pregnancy_center" title="Crisis pregnancy center">Crisis pregnancy center</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Evidence_linking_abortion_to_breast_cancer" title="Evidence linking abortion to breast cancer">Evidence linking abortion to breast cancer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fetal_pain" title="Fetal pain">Fetal pain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Horton_Hears_a_Who!" title="Horton Hears a Who!">Horton Hears a Who!</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Intact_dilation_and_extraction" title="Intact dilation and extraction">Intact dilation and extraction</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/In-utero_harm" title="In-utero harm">In-utero harm</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moral_panic" title="Moral panic">Moral panic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Morality_of_abortion" title="Morality of abortion">Morality of abortion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spontaneous_abortion_in_humans" title="Spontaneous abortion in humans">Spontaneous abortion in humans</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thomas_Olmsted" title="Thomas Olmsted">Thomas Olmsted</a></li></ul> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Essays">Essays</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Essays">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Abortion is an important and emotional topic. Some of our RationalWikians have some things to say you might want to read. Note that they do not necessarily reflect the views of the community as a whole. </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Essay:Rhetorical_analysis_of_abortion_essays" title="Essay:Rhetorical analysis of abortion essays">An evaluation of some takes on the subject</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Essay:Where_do_you_fall_in_the_abortion_debate%3F" title="Essay:Where do you fall in the abortion debate?">Essay:Where do you fall in the abortion debate?</a> It's RW user against RW user.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Essay:Why_I_oppose_abortion" title="Essay:Why I oppose abortion">One editor's opposition to abortion explained</a></li></ul> <p>More abortion-related essays can be found <a href="/wiki/Category:Abortion_essays" title="Category:Abortion essays">here</a>. </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="External_links">External links</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: External links">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20190609142938/http://drhern.com/en/news-a-publications/26-abortion-medical-and-social-aspects.html?catid=7%3Aarticles-and-op-ed-publications-on-abortion">Medical and Social Aspects of Abortion</a> — a generally good start on how, why, and what happens — worthwhile read for anyone considering abortion, talking to anti-abortion types, or just curious about the social, emotional, and medical aspect of abortion. Written by <a href="/wiki/Warren_Hern" title="Warren Hern">Warren Hern</a>.</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141218130525/http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/">Abortion Policies: A Global Review</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002912.htm#Definition">MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Abortion</a></li> <li>A very personal account from a <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nationalpost.com/scripts/story.html?id=283931">Canadian abortion doctor</a> of why he performs abortions despite murder attempts.</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/01/416421/five-years-after-abortion-nearly-all-women-say-it-was-right-decision-study">Nearly all women who opted to have an abortion performed felt it was the correct decision five years later, per a study</a> (via UCSF)</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130601211941/http://www.45millionvoices.org/index.html">45 Million Voices - stories of abortion</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/07/22/361020/--The-Only-Moral-Abortion-Is-My-Abortion">The Only Moral Abortion Is My Abortion</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://spot.colorado.edu/~heathwoo/Phil160,Fall02/thomson.htm">A Defense of Abortion</a>, by Judith Jarvis Thomson — An influential <a href="/wiki/Ethics" class="mw-redirect" title="Ethics">ethics</a> essay from the 1970s. See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Defense_of_Abortion" class="extiw" title="wp:A Defense of Abortion" rel="nofollow">A Defense of Abortion</a>.</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2019/09/abortion-can-be-medically-necessary">Abortion Can Be Medically Necessary</a>, a short statement from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150124072347/http://www.riyarchy.com/issue?title=Abortion">The Abortion Debate on Riyarchy</a> (Collaborative argument map for outlining and ending the abortion debate; link is unfortunately an incomplete, archived version)</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/im-totally-psyched-about-this-abortion,10931/">I'm Totally Psyched About This Abortion!</a> on <a href="/wiki/The_Onion" title="The Onion">The Onion</a>. (Note to our Fundamentalist readers: <i>The Onion</i> is a parody site.)</li> <li>See the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia">Wikipedia</a> article on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_and_abortion" class="extiw" title="wp:Scientology and abortion" rel="nofollow">Scientology and abortion</a>.</li></ul> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Notes">Notes</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Notes">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div class="references-small" style="font-size:90%;"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-15">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Not necessarily effective procedures, but ones everyone understood had the intent if not effect of ending a pregnancy.</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="References">References</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Abortion&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: References">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:2; -webkit-column-count:2; column-count:2; font-size:90%;"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-1">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20161013044941/https://twitter.com/ceejayoz/status/784800838405410816">Trump won’t drop out. Hey, Republicans, how does it feel to be forced to carry something to term?</a> by Pumpkin Spice CeeJay @ceejayoz (10:01 am - 8 Oct 2016) <i>Twitter</i> (archived from October 13, 2016).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-2">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Abortion/Pages/How-is-it-performed.aspx">How an abortion is carried out — NHS (terms specific to UK)</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-3">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion-4260.asp">http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion-4260.asp</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-jw-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-jw_4-0">4.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-jw_4-1">4.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text"><"History of Abortion" JW Dellapenna — <i>U. Pitt. L. Rev.</i>, 1978</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-eve-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-eve_5-0">5.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-eve_5-1">5.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text">"Eve's Herbs" JM Riddle — 1999</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-6">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/says_about/abortion.html">What the Bible says about Abortion</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-7">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1363/4304111/pdf">Abortion Incidence and Access to Services In the United States, 2008</a> by Rachel K. Jones & Kathryn Kooistra (2011) <i>Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health</i> 43:41-50. doi:10.1363/4304111.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-8">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2022/02/medication-abortion-now-accounts-more-half-all-us-abortions">Medication Abortion Now Accounts for More Than Half of All US Abortions</a> by Rachel K. Jones & Jesse Philbin (February 2022) <i>Guttmacher Institute</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-9">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">MD Creinin — Contraception, 2000</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-10">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g09Y7YRaiU">One of our brave patients reflects on her decision to have an abortion + the actual abortion filmed!</a> (Jun 14, 2024) <i>Early Options</i> via <i>YouTube</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-11">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2016/08/24/what-zika-does-to-fetal-brains/">What Zika does to fetal brains</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-12">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/29/ohio-extreme-abortion-bill-reimplant-ectopic-pregnancy">Extreme Ohio Abortion Bill</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-13">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r2708880">/* Errors processing stylesheet [[:Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css]] (rev 2708880): • Invalid or unsupported value for property ⧼code⧽background⧼/code⧽ at line 44 character 14. • Invalid or unsupported value for property ⧼code⧽background⧼/code⧽ at line 50 character 14. • Invalid or unsupported value for property ⧼code⧽background⧼/code⧽ at line 55 character 14. • Invalid or unsupported value for property ⧼code⧽background⧼/code⧽ at line 64 character 14. • Invalid or unsupported value for property ⧼code⧽color⧼/code⧽ at line 96 character 9. • Invalid or unsupported value for property ⧼code⧽color⧼/code⧽ at line 100 character 9. • Invalid media query at line 138 character 8. */ .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFFinerFrohwirthDauphineeSingh2005" class="citation journal cs1">Finer; Frohwirth; Dauphinee; Singh; Moore (2005). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1363/psrh.37.110.05">"Reasons U.S. women have abortions: quantitative and qualitative perspectives"</a>. <i>Perspective on Sexual and Reproductive Health</i>. <b>37</b> (3): <span class="nowrap">110–</span>8.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Perspective+on+Sexual+and+Reproductive+Health&rft.atitle=Reasons+U.S.+women+have+abortions%3A+quantitative+and+qualitative+perspectives.&rft.volume=37&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E110-%3C%2Fspan%3E8&rft.date=2005&rft.au=Finer&rft.au=Frohwirth&rft.au=Dauphinee&rft.au=Singh&rft.au=Moore&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1363%2Fpsrh.37.110.05&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Frationalwiki.org%3AAbortion" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-14">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Vagianos, A. (June 6, 2019) "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/women-arent-the-only-people-who-get-abortions_n_5cf55540e4b0e346ce8286d3">Women Aren’t The Only People Who Get Abortions</a>". <i>Huffington Post</i>. Retrieved September 17, 2020.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-16">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.choicematters.org/articles/abortion-a-historical-perspective">http://www.choicematters.org/articles/abortion-a-historical-perspective</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-17">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/RationalWiki:Annotated_Bible/Matthew#Matthew_5:21" title="RationalWiki:Annotated Bible/Matthew">Matthew 5:21-22</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-18">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/RationalWiki:Annotated_Bible/Exodus#Exodus_21:12" title="RationalWiki:Annotated Bible/Exodus">Exodus 21:12</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-19">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/RationalWiki:Annotated_Bible/Numbers#Numbers_35:31" title="RationalWiki:Annotated Bible/Numbers">Numbers 35:31</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-20">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thedidache.com/">The Didache</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-21">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">BBC Religions <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/abortion.shtml">Buddhism and Abortion</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-22">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.venganza.org/2008/10/16/bad-press/">Flying Spaghetti Monster — abortion</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-23">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Ralph_Shortey">Ralph Shortey profile</a>, BallotPedia</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-24">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/pepsi.asp">Pepsi/Senomyx</a>, <a href="/wiki/Snopes" title="Snopes">Snopes</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-25">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/25/ralph-shortley-oklahoma-aborted-fetuses-food_n_1230414.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/25/ralph-shortley-oklahoma-aborted-fetuses-food_n_1230414.html</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-26">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Gawker.com: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.is/http://gawker.com/5879254/which-companies-are-using-aborted-human-fetuses-in-their-food">archive.is</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://gawker.com/5879254/which-companies-are-using-aborted-human-fetuses-in-their-food">web.archive.org</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-27">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/01/oklahoma-lawmaker-fetus-food-bill-lampooned.html">http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/01/oklahoma-lawmaker-fetus-food-bill-lampooned.html</a></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div role="navigation" aria-labelledby="Abortion_articles_on_RationalWiki-navigationbox" class="toccolours" style="clear:both; margin:0.5em 3.5%; text-align:center;"> <div style="margin:0.15em; padding:0.1em; background:#DC143C; font-weight:bold;"><span id="Abortion_articles_on_RationalWiki-navigationbox"><span style="color:white"><a class="mw-selflink selflink"><span style="color:white">Abortion</span></a> articles on RationalWiki</span></span> </div> <div class="hlist" style="font-size: 90%; margin: 0.15em 1.425em;"><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Abortion</a> - <a href="/wiki/Abortion_doping" title="Abortion doping">Abortion doping</a> - <a href="/wiki/History_of_abortion" title="History of abortion">History of abortion</a> - <a href="/wiki/F%C5%93tus" title="Fœtus">Fetus/Fœtus</a> - <a href="/wiki/Crisis_pregnancy_center" title="Crisis pregnancy center">Crisis pregnancy center</a> - <i><a href="/wiki/Gonzales_v._Carhart" title="Gonzales v. Carhart">Gonzales v. Carhart</a></i> - <a href="/wiki/Nuremberg_Files" title="Nuremberg Files">Nuremberg Files</a> - <a href="/wiki/Planned_Parenthood" title="Planned Parenthood">Planned Parenthood</a> - <a href="/wiki/Pro-life" title="Pro-life">Pro-life</a> - <a href="/wiki/Pro-choice" title="Pro-choice">Pro-choice</a> - <a href="/wiki/Reproductive_rights" title="Reproductive rights">Reproductive rights</a> - <i><a href="/wiki/Roe_v._Wade" title="Roe v. Wade">Roe v. Wade</a></i> - <a href="/wiki/Conservapedia:Schlafly,_breast_cancer_and_abortion" title="Conservapedia:Schlafly, breast cancer and abortion">Schlafly, breast cancer and abortion</a> - <a href="/wiki/The_Silent_Scream" title="The Silent Scream">The Silent Scream</a> - <a href="/wiki/Barnett_Slepian" title="Barnett Slepian">Barnett Slepian</a></div> </div>    </div></div><div class="printfooter">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Abortion&oldid=2701022">https://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Abortion&oldid=2701022</a>"</div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Bronze-level_articles" title="Category:Bronze-level articles">Bronze-level articles</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Abortion" title="Category:Abortion">Abortion</a></li><li><a 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