[Legal protection of the fetus in West Germany]

No German legislation specifically addresses legal protection to the unborn child. Abortion which is synonymous with killing an unborn child remains a crime respective if prosecution is carried out or not. The German Supreme Court produced guidelines in 1975 concerning the unborn child's protection which indicate that the life of the unborn should be afforded the same legal protection as that of a living being. But jurisdiction, new legal drafts or the public debate alone are not able to reduce the number of abortions.