advertisements for<unk>  services, like these in The Sun in 1842, were common during the Victorian era. At the time,<unk>  was illegal in New York. The practice of<unk> —the termination of a pregnancy—has been known since ancient times. Various methods have been used to perform or attempt an<unk> , including the administration of abortifacient herbs, the use of sharpened implements, the application of abdominal pressure, and other techniques.<unk>  laws and their enforcement have fluctuated through various eras. In many western countries during the 20th century<unk> -rights movements were successful in having<unk>  bans repealed. While<unk>  remains legal in most of the West, this legality is regularly challenged by anti-abortion groups.
History of abortion
History of in vitro fertilisation
History of HIV/AIDS
History of malaria
History of smallpox
History of chemical warfare
History of pathology
History of intersex surgery