Doctors may use the term abortion to refer to a miscarriage (spontaneous abortion), as well as to intentional termination of pregnancy for medical or other reasons (induced abortion). After 20 weeks of pregnancy, delivery of a fetus that has died is called a stillbirth.
Other terms for abortion include the following:
Therapeutic (induced) abortion: An abortion that is brought about by medical means (drugs or surgery)—for example, because the woman’s life or health is endangered or the fetus has major abnormalities
Threatened abortion: Bleeding or cramping during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy without opening (dilation) of the cervix, indicating that the fetus may be lost
Inevitable abortion: Pain or bleeding during first 20 weeks of pregnancy with dilation of the cervix, indicating that the fetus will be lost
Complete abortion: Expulsion of all of the fetus and placenta in the uterus
Incomplete abortion: Expulsion of only part of the contents of the uterus
Missed abortion: Retention of a dead fetus in the uterus
Septic abortion: Infection of the contents of the uterus before, during, or after an abortion
