From 1700's to mid 1800's, although abortion was considered socially unacceptable, it was allowed under common law and was widely practiced. Abortion was legal in most states. The only exception was that when the mother was already in "quickening", a term they used when the pregnant woman was already at least 4 months pregnant. In the 1860's, a number of states passed the anti-abortion laws but most of them were difficult to enforce.