Senators in Uruguay were preparing for a final debate today on legalising abortion, a groundbreaking step in Latin America.

The proposed law has already been passed in the Senate, but changes in Uruguay's lower house have forced another vote on the measure, which President Jose Mujica says he will sign.

Cuba is the only other country in the region where all women have access to abortions.

Uruguay's measure would decriminalise abortions but require women to justify themselves before a panel of experts and wait five days before confirming they want to go ahead with the procedure.

It also decriminalises late-term abortions when the mother's life is at risk or the foetus is deformed.

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