Part 1 of 2 parts:
Glossary of terms about abortion or
pregnancy that begin with letters A to L:

The definition used by the medical and pro-choice communities is: the end of a pregnancy before viability of the fetus. i.e. the termination of the process of gestation after the time when the zygote attaches itself to the uterine wall (about 14 days after conception), but before the fetus is possibly capable of surviving on its own. (currently 23 to 28 weeks from conception). According to the Encyclopedia Britannica,  the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has defined abortion as occurring before the 20th week (134th day) of gestation. There are two types of abortions: Accidental abortion: a termination of pregnancy before viability that occurs naturally, without medical intervention. This is commonly called a miscarriage by the public. Therapeutic abortion: a termination of pregnancy via the intervention of a physician through surgery or the use of RU-486 or some other medication.

Pro-lifers generally define abortion as an intentional interruption of the development process, at any time between conception and birth.

See also a list of definitions of "abortion" used by various organizations.
 

Baby: Normally, this means a very young child aged from birth to perhaps 1 year. The term is also sometimes used (particularly by pro-life advocates) to refer to a zygote, blastocyst, morula, embryo, fetus or newborn.
 

Conception: A synonym for the fertilization process. The phrase "instant of conception" is meaningless, because conception is a lengthy process.
 

	The fetus is already dead.
	The fetus is alive but is killed in order to save the life of the woman.
	The fetus is alive but is killed in order to avoid very serious injury and long term or permanent disability to the woman

Testimony before a Senate committee indicated that a few doctors in the United States routinely performed D&X abortions for reasons other than stated above.

The alternative to performing a D&X is a hysterotomy. This is a type of Cesarean Section which is far more dangerous to the woman; it can cause perforation or tearing of the uterus, hemorrhaging, and/or complications in future pregnancies.
 

	Sperm is commonly considered a form of human life, because it contains human DNA and meets the popular definition of "life." However, some definitions of "life" are very restrictive and include the ability to reproduce. Under this more restrictive definition, a spermatozoon would not be considered alive. An individual sperm might have been present for months before it has the opportunity to fertilize an ovum.
	Similarly, an ovum is generally considered a form of human life, because it also contains human DNA. It ripens and is expelled by an ovary many days before having the possibility being exposed to sperm. But some definitions of "life" do not include ova because they cannot, by themselves, reproduce.
	A new-born baby is a human life and a human person. An exception is found among some native groups who believe that personhood is attained only after the newborn is named.

The timing of the transition from human life to a human person is of paramount importance in all discussions on abortion access:

• Pro-life advocates typically believe that this transition happens at some time during the process of fertilization.
  
  
• Pro-choice advocates typically believe that the transition happens much later (e.g. when the fetus is viable -- capable of living on its own -- or when its higher brain functions start to operate and it becomes sentient, or when it is half emerged from its mother's body, or when a newborn is takes its first breath, etc.).

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