History of abortion

A brief history of abortion -- from ancient Egyptian herbs to fighting stigma today https://www.theconversation.com/a-brief-history-of-abortion-from-ancient-egyptian-herbs-to-fighting-stigma-today-213033: "You might be forgiven for thinking of abortion as a particularly modern phenomenon. But there's plenty of evidence to suggest that abortion has been a constant feature of social life for thousands of years. The history of abortion is often told as a legal one, yet abortion has continued regardless of, perhaps even in spite of, legal regulation.
"The need to regulate fertility before or after sex has existed for as long as pregnancy has. The Ancient Egyptian Papyrus Ebers is often seen as some of the first written evidence of abortion practice. ..."

A Brief History of Abortion in the U.S.A. (John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) https://magazine.publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/brief-history-abortion-us

This article by Annalies Winny, published by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is prefaced with "Abortion wasn't always a moral, political, and legal tinderbox. What changed?" and brings focus to:

"Abortion laws have never been more contentious in the U.S.A., yet for the first century of the country's existence - and most of human history before that - abortion was a relatively uncontroversial fact of life."

"... Until the mid-19th century, the U.S. attitude toward abortion was much the same as it had often been elsewhere throughout history: It was a quiet reality, legal until 'quickening' (when fetal motion could be felt by the mother). In the eyes of the law, the fetus wasn't a 'separate distinct entity until then,' but rather an extension of the mother, Rosen explains. ..."

A History of Abortion in Canada: The Quest for Women's Reproductive Rights (Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada) https://www.jogc.com/article/S1701-2163(19)30737-6/fulltext: "When the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) came into being, both abortion and contraception were criminal offenses in Canada. The Criminal Code provision related to abortion became law in 1892, but prosecutions were rare. Dr. Emily Stowe, the first woman to practise medicine in Canada, was charged and tried for prescribing an abortifacient to a woman who died three months later. Dr. Stowe was acquitted on the basis of the prolonged time interval between her prescription and the woman's death. In spite of its prohibition under federal law, abortion continued to be performed by physicians and non-physicians alike. Access to (relatively) safe abortion depended on the patient's ability to pay and the willingness of some physicians to provide the service on the 'black market.'
"For many women, self-induced abortion and unsafe 'back alley' procedures were the only available alternatives. The former Chief Coroner of Ontario, Canada, Morton Schulman, voiced concern over the number of deaths he encountered following unsafe abortion. He publicized his experience and called for a public inquest into each abortion death. In 1964, Lottie Leanne Clarke, mother of three, died of sepsis following an illegal abortion. After the inquest into her death, the panel hearing the case recommended that the federal laws governing abortion be liberalized. ..."

Abortion in Antiquity, in Egypt, Greece, and Rome (MUVS: Museum of Contraception and Abortion) https://www.muvs.org/en/topics/termination-of-pregnancy/abortion-in-antiquity-en/: In Egypt, "the first indications that abortion was common in ancient civilizations appear in the Ancient Egyptian Papyrus Ebers, which dates from c. 1600 BCE. It describes a method by which 'the woman empties out the conceived in the first, second or third time period.' For this, there were various herbal drinks as well as vaginal douches and vaginal suppositories. ..."

Abortion in Canada (The Canadian Encyclopedia) https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/abortion: "Abortion is the premature ending of a pregnancy. Inducing an abortion was a crime in Canada until 1988, when the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the [anti-abortion] law as unconstitutional. Since then, abortion has been legal at any stage in a woman's pregnancy. Abortion is publicly funded as a medical procedure under the Canada Health Act (see Health Policy). However, access to abortion services differs across the country. Despite its legalization, abortion remains one of the most divisive political issues of our time. ..."

Abortion in the 1920s: A criminal operation (University of New Brunswick, Canada) https://www.unb.ca/saintjohn/arts/projects/crimepunishment/cases/abortion.html: "In 1969, the Canadian Parliament amended the Criminal Code to authorize hospital committees to approve therapeutic abortions on a case-by-case basis. During 1970, the first reporting year, 11,200 abortions were carried out in Canada. Prior to 1969, abortion had been a serious criminal offence, punishable by life in prison.
"Abortion, and the dissemination of birth control, had been made illegal in Canada's criminal law in 1869. Despite this, women who wished to terminate pregnancies prior to full term resorted to a range of methods. Women had access to traditional methods, as well as abortifacient medicines advertised in the newspapers and sold in local drug stores. ..."

Abortion Is as Old as Pregnancy: 4,000 Years of Reproductive Rights History: On Roe v. Wade's 43rd anniversary, a look at abortion history offers perspective on the current era of decreased access (Truthout) https://www.truthout.org/articles/abortion-is-as-old-as-pregnancy-4-000-years-of-reproductive-rights-history/: "Abortion has always existed. The earliest written record of abortion is more than 4,000 years old. Pregnancy has always been accompanied by the seeking and sharing of methods for ending pregnancy. ..."

Abortion Rights: 4 Key Dates in Quebec and Canadian History https://www.educaloi.qc.ca/en/understanding-the-law/abortion-rights-4-key-dates-in-quebec-and-canadian-history/: 1869, 1969, 1988, and 1989: "Abortion rights are a constant source of debate and controversy. Just last week, the topic took centre stage during the U.S.A. presidential debate. Let's reflect on how abortion rights have evolved in Quebec and in Canada.
"It wasn't until 1988 that Canada fully decriminalized abortion. This came after more than a century of prohibition and severe punishments. Here are four key moments that shaped abortion rights. ..."

Historical Abortion Law Timeline (USA): 1850 to Today (Planned Parenthood Action Fund) https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/abortion/abortion-central-history-reproductive-health-care-america/historical-abortion-law-timeline-1850-today: "Follow the journey of abortion law in the United States — from criminalization in the late 1800s to legalization in the early 1970s — and the ongoing battles for abortion access. ..."

Historical attitudes to abortion in Ancient Greece and Rome, and in England and America (BBC) https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/legal/history_1.shtml

"Abortion was accepted in ancient Rome and Greece. Through much of Western history abortion was not criminal if it was carried out before the foetus moved in the womb (around 18-20 weeks into the pregnancy).

"Abortion was accepted in both ancient Rome and Greece. The Romans and Greeks weren't much concerned with protecting the unborn, and when they did object to abortion it was often because the father didn't want to be deprived of a child that he felt entitled to.

"The early philosophers also argued that a foetus did not become formed and begin to live until at least 40 days after conception for a male, and around 80 days for a female. ..."

History of Abortion (Feminist.com) https://www.feminist.com/resources/ourbodies/abortion.html: This web page presents "an exclusive excerpt from the 'Abortion' chapter of Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century. For complete information and resources, [they] recommend that you consult the chapter and the book in its entirety."

Reproductive Rights in the USA: Timeline (History.com) https://www.history.com/articles/reproductive-rights-timeline

Since the early 1800s, U.S. federal and state governments have taken steps both securing and limiting access to contraception and abortion:

19th Century - Bans on Abortion, Contraception
Early 20th Century - Planned Parenthood Launches
1960s - "The Pill" Approved, The San Francisco Nine Sued
1970s - States Legalize Abortion, Roe v. Wade Established
1980s - Abortion Provisions Struck Down
1990s - Planned Parenthood v. Casey, "Morning After Pill" Approved
2000s - States Restrict Abortions, Roe v. Wade Overturned

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The history of abortion: Abortion laws and their enforcement have fluctuated through various eras. Learn more about the history of abortion ... (Hey Jane) https://www.heyjane.com/articles/history-of-abortion: "While it's a heavily debated topic, the facts are clear: abortion is a normal and safe medical procedure that is had in about half of unintended pregnancies. The practice has been a part of reproductive health since the dawn of time and in fact, the first written record of abortion is noted in the Royal Archives of China over 4,000 years ago!!
"There are many opinions on the religious, philosophical, social, and moral schools of thought on abortion. Many scholars, religious leaders, and lawmakers agree that the decision to have an abortion is solely up to the person who is pregnant. At Hey Jane, we believe that those who are most affected should control the narrative around abortion and that they are best suited to make decisions about their reproductive health. ..."

The State in the Bedroom - The Evolution of Reproductive Rights in Canada (University of Toronto) https://exhibits.library.utoronto.ca/exhibits/show/stateinthebedroom/

This exhibit by the University of Toronto traces the legislative history of reproductive rights in Canada from 1892 to the end of the 20th century. The story of changing laws and mores relating to contraception, abortion, sexual and reproductive health education, and involuntary sterilization is told from a uniquely Canadian perspective using government reports, transcripts of parliamentary debates, hearings, bills and statutes, zines, posters and pamphlets, and documentary film, all from the University of Toronto Libraries' collections.

Although intended to showcase government information from the Government Publications collection in Robarts Library, other libraries generously loaned materials also featured in the exhibition, including:

Robarts Library stacks
Women's Education Resource Collection (WERC), OISE Library
Media Commons, Robarts Library, 3rd floor
Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library
Bora Laskin Law Library
University of Toronto at Scarborough Library

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What Ireland's history with abortion might teach us about a post-Roe America (PBS) https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/what-irelands-history-with-abortion-might-teach-us-about-a-post-roe-america: May 18, 2022: "If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion in the U.S., the nation may find itself on a path similar to that trod by the Irish people from 1983 to 2018. A draft decision signed by the majority of conservative justices was leaked in May 2022, and indicates the court may do just that.
"Abortion was first prohibited in Ireland through what was called the Offenses Against the Person Act of 1861. That law became part of Irish law when Ireland gained independence from the U.K. in 1922. In the early 1980s, some anti-abortion Catholic activists noticed the liberalization of abortion laws in other Western democracies and worried the same might happen in Ireland. ..."