A major change, probably one of the most significant events of the century, took place in 1975 when the law of legalising abortion was introduced across Europe. The statistics tell us that during the 70's, out of 600,000 documented abortions, 20,000 women ended up sterile and 250 died in France alone. Xavière Gauthier has compiled an amazing amount of information across the world about the most significant changes that have taken place in this field over the past forty years. She documents and gives examples of the cruelty of abortions that took place in the 60's: illegal, painful and a threat to a woman's life.Access to contraceptives and the legalisation of abortion has been a fight as well as an adventure, Xavière Gauthier recounts the story, retells it step by step, from the reaction of the Church to the one of the Communist Party.Today, abortion is a painless operation at full consciousness, it is legal and refunded by the National Insurance. Travelling around Europe and the United States, the author analyses the history and the present situation. Each country has its own legislation: Germany, Holland and Switzerland are much more liberal than Spain and Italy; Poland and Rumania are total freedom abortion countries; Ireland still forbids abortion. The situation in the Third World countries remains atrocious despite all efforts by the UN. The situation seems hopeless as it is coupled with the AIDS problem. Xavière Gauthier's message at the beginning of this young century is strong: 'Remember the history of women, it is also the history of humanity'.