1858: Mystery abortion proves fatal for widow's daughter

Ann Regan, "the daughter of a respectable widow" in Knightstown, Indiana, took ill on August 10, 1858. Her condition deteriorated over the next few days. On August 13, she went into a severe convulsion and died. The next day an autopsy determined that somebody had used instruments to perform an abortion on Ann, resulting in her death.



For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion

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