Iceland Legalizes Abortion
Iceland became the first Western nation to legalize abortion on January 28, 1935, marking a significant milestone in reproductive rights. The decision was part of a broader trend among Scandinavian countries to liberalize their abortion policies for both medical and social reasons. Historically, abortion has been practiced for millennia, often through dangerous means that posed significant health risks to women. Prior to legalization, many women resorted to unsafe methods, leading to severe complications and fatalities. The legal landscape for abortion shifted in the 19th century, with most Western nations enacting strict bans influenced by social and religious factors. Iceland's progressive step was followed by other Scandinavian nations, paving the way for a broader acceptance of abortion rights in the Western world by the 1960s and 1970s. Despite this progress, many developing countries still impose strict bans on abortions, resulting in high maternal mortality rates due to unsafe procedures. The legalization of abortion remains a contentious issue, highlighting ongoing debates about reproductive rights and the value of human life.
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Iceland Legalizes Abortion
Iceland Legalizes Abortion
On January 28, 1935, Iceland became the first Western nation to legalize abortion. Along with other Scandinavian nations, it was among the first to liberalize their policies concerning abortion for both medical and social reasons.
Abortion has been practiced for thousands of years. For people of means, rare herbs and medicines could be obtained in order to induce a miscarriage and terminate the pregnancy. For the common people, however, the methods were often desperate, primitive, and extremely dangerous. Women often used sticks, needles, and other objects to try to kill the fetus. Needless to say, the risk was considerable since, even if they survived the procedure, women often died from infections and diseases caused by their unsanitary instruments or surroundings. There were also many social and religious pressures against abortion. Nevertheless, laws against abortion did not become widespread until the 19th century.
In England, the common law made abortion a crime only when committed after the time of “quickening,” when the first movements of the fetus can be felt in the womb. This generally takes place just after the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. However, in 1803 the British Parliament outlawed all abortions, and most other Western nations followed suit over the course of the century. In a debate that has yet to be resolved as of the writing of this book, proponents of antiabortion legislation have cited the absolute value of human life, while opponents have pointed to the economic burden imposed on a person forced to have a child, the questionable social practice of legislating reproductive decisions, and the many deaths that have resulted from women who had illegal “backroom abortions” performed by people who were often unskilled and used dangerous procedures. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the new Soviet Union legalized abortion in 1920, but Iceland was the first Western nation to lift its ban against the practice. It was followed by most Scandinavian nations and then by most Western nations in the 1960s and early 1970s. Today, strict bans against abortion exist primarily in the underdeveloped nations, where there are nearly 100,000 maternal deaths a year from illegal abortions.