**15. Termination of pregnancy**

Termination of pregnancy can occur for variety of reasons. When pregnancy termination occurs before the age of viability of the foetus, it is regarded as abortion. Abortion can occur as a natural process in which case it is regarded as spontaneous abortion or otherwise as a forced procedure regarded as induced abortion. Induced abortion is usually performed for unwanted pregnancy. When performed in countries where the law permits, it is regarded as legal abortion, while it is illegal or criminal if carried out where the law does not permit abortion. In some countries abortion law is restrictive, abortion being allowed under certain circumstances such as for the purpose of saving the life of the mother. In countries where the law does not permit abortion or where the law is restrictive, unsafe abortion is usually of high incidence. Virtually all forms of abortion, but in particular induced abortion are fraught with ethical challenges. A woman with an unwanted pregnancy particularly for strong reasons will go to any length to seek for the termination of such pregnancy – even at the risk of losing her life.

The ethical question is, should her autonomy not be respected by obliging her with a safe termination of the unwanted pregnancy?

A further question that often arises and is capable of throwing the health practitioners into serious ethical dilemma concerns the identity of the foetus that the pregnant woman seeks to abort. Does the foetus not constitute a being albeit incapable of autonomy and therefore vulnerable, whose autonomy needs to be protected, or should the fate of the foetus be allowed to be solely dependent on the decisions of the mother? These ethical questions are applicable to several issues in obstetrics that may constitute danger to the foetus or the mother or both.
