[Mrs. Don-o]

Removing an ectopic pregnancy is a morally justified procedure. It is not, however, an "abortion" and should not be called one. It is morally and medically quite different from an abortion.

I don't think the day is far off when a baby will be able to be saved in most cases of ectopic pregnancy, e.g. they could remove the fallopian tube; implant it, embryo and all, in the mother's uterus; then slit the tube open (imagine slitting a section of a drinking straw lengthwise) so placenta and baby have room to develop.

BTW, there have been (exceedingly rare) cases when a baby implanted ectopically on the mother's inner abdominal wall, and both survived. The baby had to be delivered surgically, of course.

[Sherman Logan]

I think technically it is an abortion, as is what we more routinely call a miscarriage.

But I get your point. The purpose of elective abortion, what we usually call just “abortion,” is to produce a dead baby.

If a dead baby is the tragic result of attempts to treat a medical condition, that is entirely different. It’s the difference between first degree murder and a patient dying in surgery.