In which trimester are abortions not freely available due to fetal viability?

• A. First trimester
• B. Second trimester
• C. Third trimester
• D. Fourth trimester

Answer: (C)

Fetal viability is the point at which a fetus could survive outside the womb with medical support. This milestone is what drives access to abortion: before viability, abortions are generally allowed more freely because the fetus cannot live outside the uterus. After viability, many laws restrict abortion to narrowly defined exceptions, typically to protect the pregnant person’s life or health or in cases of severe fetal anomalies. Viability is usually reached in the late second to early third trimester, so the third trimester is the period where abortions are not freely available due to viability. The idea of a fourth trimester doesn’t apply to pregnancy policy.