term:

Abortion

abortion n

1 : the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus
;esp
: the medical procedure of inducing expulsion of a human fetus to terminate a pregnancy
2 : the crime of procuring or performing an illegal abortion [a conspiracy to commit "W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr."] see also Roe v. Wade and Webster v. Reproductive Health Services in the Important Cases section

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.