How come abortion isn't considered murder, but you get tried for two murders if you kill a pregnant woman?

Depends on your country and how far along the pregnant woman is.

Not all countries consider pregnancy to be considered life and charge the killer with the death of the baby. As per law, a baby is not viable til 22/24 weeks of pregnancy, prior to this it cannot survive outside the mothers uterus, so without the mother it cannot live,if the mother dies, the baby dies. But after 22-24 weeks the baby has a minimal chance of survival without the mother but intensive medical help. Causing death to a baby after this time line should be considered murder. Abortions are usually only legal up to 12 weeks, maximum 16 weeks. Unless for a medical/life saving reason then later abortions/induced labours are allowed.

An adult is considered dead if no brainwaves/brain activity noted and life support is turned off.

A fetus/baby does not have brainwaves/brain activity until 12 weeks.

Here in Australia, if a pregnant woman was murdered, only her life would have the killer on charges, the baby would not be considered as murdered. It's in discussion and there is debates about this at the moment.

You cannot compare abortion to the murder of the mother though, it is not right. A murder of the mother is done out of hatred/spite/criminal actions, it is illegal and against another life. Abortion is the choice of the woman regarding her body, not another persons. It is an individual choice and is legal and the woman's right. Some abortions are done to save the mothers life or to prevent the fetus dying in pain prior to birth due to abnormalites/diseases/defects. Abortions are not just for "accidents".

You cannot compare a woman who aborts her baby due to a severe genetic defect that will 100% result in death inside the uterus, is medically known to cause suferring to the fetus prior to death to a cold hearted killer of a mother and child. You CANNOT compare and nor should you.

Add/edit:

Pro life people are always for "baby rights".

It is an egg - a cell in the body. just like dry skin falling off your body.

Yes, an egg, skin etc is alive, but it is not a "life". A life means a heart, organs, brain activity.

An egg does not have this.

It takes up to 12 weeks for the egg to transform into a little miniature human with heart, organs, brain activity. Yes, the heart can start from 5 weeks.

After 12 weeks the little fetus/baby has all the requirements to be classified a "life".

This debate will forever go on, abortion, when is it considered a life, baby rights etc.

People need to open up their minds and see the bigger picture. Abortion is not always done for mistakes, accidents, birth control. There are serious medical reasons an abortion must be done - some abortions are NOT wanted.

If you kill a woman who's only 3 months pregnant, then it's just a single murder because the baby wasn't viable outside of the womb. If however you kill a woman who's 8 months pregnant, you could be charged with two murders because there was a very good chance the baby could have survived if born (and doctors may even try for an emergency c-section).

I don't know where the magical cut-off exists, but it's pretty safe to say you wouldn't be able to find a doctor who would perform an abortion at 8 months pregnant for the same reason.

A lack of brain activity in a born person is a sign of death due to the fact that the brain had activity prior. You cannot compare that to an unborn baby. If you begin to pour water into a glass, it is a glass of water the moment the first drops hits the bottom. Life begins at conception. Funerals are held for miscarriages even when the baby is only a few weeks old. The moment a baby is conceived, a mother is no longer an individual. She is carrying another life inside of her and is responsible for doing the best she can to give that baby the best opportunity possible to grow healthy and strong. Ending the babies life is no different before or after birth. If a woman wants to have an abortion, she should go full term, give birth without painkillers and be forced to stab her baby in the heart and watch the life leave that innocent child's eyes.

Abortion is sickening.

This is a very interesting question. I honestly don't understand how anyone could possibly abort a child. I don't believe it should be illegal because women would still do it with coat hangers or by illegal actions by doctors. I just do not believe it is right, in any situation... it seems like murder to me. This is a lot of info, but yahoo answers is anonymous,so.... this is coming from someone who was raped at 18 and had very late for a period afterward, if I had been pregnant... I still would have had the child. I was adopted and know that my birth mother considered abortion (I am friends with her)... Anyway... I think it is murder. I didn't know it was considered a double murder if you kill a pregnant woman. That makes sense.

The system as it exists now makes no sense whatsoever. The whole notion of being tried for the murder of something that doesn't even have a life of its own is positively absurd. There needs to be a change in legislation so as to eliminate the possibility of a crime against a fetus even being a crime at all.

ETA- What baby? You mean fetus? As in the parasitic blob of cells that women play host to for forty weeks or so? It isn't a cognizant being; it is incapable of making a choice.

I thinks it's bulls hit. If they baby isn't born yet then its not a person and it's not murder.

And for the morons who say that a fetus is a person: then why dont people have funerals when a fetus dies? Why dosen't the census count them? Why? Because a fetus is not a person.

I guess because a woman chooses an abortion, but doesn't choose to be murdered.

I've wondered about this before too

abortion is a option

killing a pregnant women who obvouisly wants her baby is her choice;

two totall different meanings !!!

Because abortion is termination, and murder is involuntary.

Quarrell about trimesters all you want; it is legalized murder. And I support it. Go me!

I think people that kill a baby needs to be locked up.