Legal Definitions - foeticide

Foeticide refers to the unlawful act of killing a fetus. This term is typically used in legal contexts to describe the intentional termination of a pregnancy outside of legally sanctioned medical procedures, or the death of a fetus caused by an unlawful act against a pregnant person.

• Example 1: A man, angry with his pregnant partner, physically assaults her by kicking her in the abdomen. The assault is severe enough to cause the death of the fetus she was carrying. In this scenario, the man could be charged with foeticide because his unlawful and intentional act directly resulted in the death of the fetus.

• Example 2: In a region where abortion is heavily restricted or illegal, an unlicensed individual performs a procedure on a pregnant woman with the intent to terminate the pregnancy. The procedure is not medically sound and results in the death of the fetus. Here, the act of performing an unauthorized and illegal procedure leading to fetal death would constitute foeticide.

• Example 3: A third party, without the pregnant woman's knowledge or consent, secretly administers a substance designed to induce a miscarriage. The substance causes the death of the fetus. This deliberate and unlawful intervention, leading to the termination of the pregnancy, would be considered foeticide.