Reply #27: Depends on where and when [View All]

[Retrograde]

Attitudes and practices varied a lot. The only reference to legal abortions I can recall offhand is in mid-19th century New York: the recent book New York Night quotes some contemporary advertisements for abortionists c. 1840. In other places, it may have been illegal, bur IIRC some large percentage of Puritan brides were pregnant at their weddings (sex with one's betrothed was more or less acceptable, although premarital sex in general was frowned upon)