The termination of a pregnancy after 24 weeks is called:

• A. Induced abortion
• B. Elective abortion
• C. Late term abortion
• D. Therapeutic Abortion

Answer: (C)

Understanding how abortion is labeled by how far along the pregnancy is helps you see why this term fits. Termination after about 24 weeks is categorized by timing as a late-stage abortion. This label focuses on how far along the pregnancy is, not on the reason for termination or the method used.

Induced abortion is a general term for terminating a pregnancy, regardless of when it occurs, while elective abortion refers to a termination chosen for nonmedical reasons. Therapeutic abortion is used when the termination is done to protect the mother’s health or for medical reasons related to the fetus. None of these specify the gestational age, so they don’t capture the timing aspect the question asks about.