abortion The premature termination of pregnancy by removal of the foetus from the womb. It has been strongly opposed by many religions which emphasize the sanctity of human life from the day of conception. By contrast, its legalization has been demanded by ‘pro-choice’ groups which stress each individual mother's right to choose whether or not to proceed with a pregnancy. As a result, the issue of abortion has become a touchstone for the influence of religion in the state. Abortion is still illegal in Arab countries, where Islam is the state religion, and in Ireland, where the influence of the Roman Catholic Church is still strong.

The issue has been particularly ...