The Background of the Present Abortion Controversy

The present conflicting attitudes, values, and belief systems regarding public policies on abortion have long roots in the past. A greater understanding of these roots, especially of their variety and complexity in the nineteenth century in this country, can promote a clearer view of current issues. It is particularly illuminating to examine changing abortion policies in the context of religious, economic, medical, social, and political trends in various historical periods and from a feminist perspective. This article presents a brief analytic survey of these topics.