Annotation: The paper is concerned with the study of some aspects of legal regulation pertaining to illegal abortion in Ukraine and abroad as well as some problematic issues of criminal-legal protection of life of an unborn child. The legal position of the European Court of Human Rights on this issue has been highlighted. The position of Ukrainian law concerning the priority of a mother’s interests has been defined. The author suggests ideas about the expediency of prohibiting abortion in Ukraine. The prospects for further study of the investigated issue have been defined.