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In historic decision, Argentina legalizes first trimester abortion outside rape and threat to the mother's life

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  1. Kuromantis
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    Argentina's Congress has legalised abortions up to the 14th week of pregnancy, a ground-breaking move for a region that has some of the world's most restrictive termination laws.

    Senators voted in favour of the bill after a marathon session with 38 in favour, 29 against and one abstention.

    Until now, abortions were only permitted in cases of rape or when the mother's health was at risk.

    The president also said providing free and legal abortions up to the 14th week of pregnancy was a matter of public health as "every year around 38,000 women" are taken to hospital due to clandestine terminations and that "since the restoration of democracy [in 1983] more than 3,000 have died".

    Alongside the legalisation of abortion, Senators also voted in favour of a bill dubbed the "1,000-Day Plan", which will provide better healthcare for pregnant women and mothers of young children.

    Vilma Ibarra, who drafted the law, was overcome with emotion as she spoke to reporters after it passed. "Never again will there be a woman killed in a clandestine abortion," she said, crying.

    3 votes