【Abortion】 and 【miscarriage】 denote the premature expulsion of a fetus before it is capable of living independently.

【Abortion】 may connote purposeful induction of the process either illicitly in order to avoid childbearing or therapeutically to protect the life of the mother. In medicine, however, 【abortion】 sometimes denotes the expulsion of the human fetus through any cause during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. (see also: Do an 【abortion】 vs Have an 【abortion】 )

• She decided to have an 【abortion】 .

【Miscarriage】 (see also: Failure vs Neglect vs Default vs 【Miscarriage】 vs Dereliction ) differs from 【abortion】 in suggesting a natural expulsion rather than one produced artificially. In medicine 【miscarriage】 is used of any expulsion of the fetus occurring between the twelfth and twentyeighth weeks and before the fetus is capable of living independently.

• The pregnancy ended in 【miscarriage】 at 11 weeks.