The zygote continues the division process for two weeks until it develops into a blastocyst and implants into the uterine wall. Once implanted the unborn entity is known as an embryo. A heartbeat is now present and during the next few weeks organ systems begin to develop and the embryo begins to take on distinctive human features. Brain activity occurs in the embryo and the biological development has become evident within the womb. After eight weeks of maturing the embryo is now deemed a fetus until birth. The fetus continues to grow until reaching viability at twenty-four weeks. The fetus is now capable of surviving outside of the womb, but will not reach full term until forty weeks.
Abortion occurs either from a miscarriage which is spontaneous due to internal biochemical factors or injury during a pregnancy, or from human intervention; both result in an early termination of pregnancy. Miscarriages, however, are usually a mystery to those in the medical field, whereas other forms of abortion involving human intervention are well practiced. Abortions can result from morning after pills, which prevents the blastocyst from implanting into the uterine wall, or from more in depth procedures such as vacuum aspiration, which remove the fetal contents after dilation through suction during the first trimester of the pregnancy until the twelfth week. The most common procedure is dilation and evacuation or D&E, which is performed after twelve weeks. During this procedure, the doctor uses surgical instruments to empty the uterus; depending on the amount of fetal development will determine how detailed the procedure. Saline injections were also used to induce a miscarriage. .
The "abortion pill" or drug known as Mifepriston is also given to patients in order to expel the fetus resulting in an abortion. Each method is used differently in order to terminate the pregnancy based on the development and timetable of the pregnancy.
