History of abortion. Indirect advertisements for abortion services, like these in The New York Sun in 1842, were common during the Victorian era. At the time, abortion was illegal in New York. The practice of abortionâthe termination of a pregnancyâhas been known since ancient times. Various methods have been used to perform an abortion, including the administration of abortifacient herbs, the use of sharpened implements, the application of abdominal pressure, and other techniques.