Final answer:
Throughout history, abortion has been viewed and regulated differently based on cultural, social, and legal contexts. In the West, 19th-century laws generally tightened restrictions on abortion, while mid 20th-century views began to liberalize. In the U.S, the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion, yet controversy persists.
Step-by-step explanation:
The history of abortion is complex and varied across different cultures and periods. In ancient times, for instance, the Egyptians used medicinal plants to induce abortions, while the Romans believed in the 'quickening' moment- when a mother first feels her baby move- to define if an abortion could happen. Unwanted pregnancies have been terminated in some way throughout human history, but the social and legal perceptions have varied greatly.
In the 19th century, most Western countries began to tighten their laws against abortion, influenced by both a growing understanding of fetal development and the medical profession's desire to regulate the practice. The 19th and early 20th centuries were also marked by the influence of socio-religious movements against abortion. In the mid 20th century, however, thinking began to shift, and many countries liberalized their abortion laws.
In the United States, the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 effectively legalized abortion by ruling that a state law that banned abortions (except to save the life of the mother) was unconstitutional and that women have the constitutional right to choose whether to have an abortion. However, today abortion remains a deeply controversial issue treading on ethical, moral and legal grounds.
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