Abortion laws vary from region to region. While some countries allow abortion for all nine months of pregnancy, many governments impose restrictions, and others outlaw it altogether. These cut-off dates go by markers, such as the detection of the fetal heartbeat at 5 weeks, end of the first trimester, or viability outside the womb. However, a medical abortion using the abortion pill is only possible up to the 9th week of pregnancy — after that, only surgical methods can be used.