Abortions were not considered illegal until the 19^th century when Britain and the United States passed their first antiabortion laws. During this antiabortion period, abortions continued to be performed, but they were done in highly septic environments, using any means that a woman could find: knitting needles, coat hangers, vaginal douches with toxic solutions, or ingestion of strong chemicals. Resorting to such measures reflected women’s resolve to find any means to abort when facing an unwanted pregnancy. Such practices resulted in high rates of mortality, mostly from infections; when not fatal, severe complications such as sepsis and perforation of the uterus often resulted. Sepsis often led to secondary infertility, due to the obstruction of the Fallopian tubes, as well as other chronic conditions. The psychological stress was also significant. And, because the tradition of early abortion had been well rooted in these societies, abortions continued to be performed openly, and juries refused to convict abortionists. Nearly 20 years later, the law was broadened to allow Medicaid coverage for abortion services in the cases of rape or incest. To date, many faiths and institutions, such as the Roman Catholic Church, consider abortion unacceptable, except when performed in the cases of rape or incest.