1,217. Abortion

184:10 The former practice was that the seven city administrators would judge cases involving fines, such as for injuries, humiliation, etc. but they should not do so without the involvement of the local beis din because these laws involve many details. They must be careful not to penalize the offender more stringently than the law allows, but they must likewise not treat the honor of the injured party too lightly.

184:11 If a woman is having a dangerous pregnancy, so long as the fetus is inside her, it is permitted to abort, either by drugs or by hand. As long as the baby has not emerged, it is not yet considered a person in its own right; one may therefore abort in order to save the mother. The fetus is treated like a pursuer ("rodeif") who chases an innocent person to kill him. However, once the head has emerged, one may not harm the baby because we are not permitted to sacrifice one person in order to save another. This situation is part of the natural order.