*Ledi*

I've always been curious -

Is an Embryo/Foetus actually considered a life? Explain why yes or no?

And also, one has a heartbeat only after two weeks, right? At least I think so anyway. Maybe I'm wrong though.

the_mystic_dude

A fetus is a human being 3 months after conception to birth.
An embryo is the first 8 weeks.

I would say that it's considered life. Scott Peterson got tried for both killing his wife and his unborn child, so legally an embryo is "life".

PS: don't know for sure, but I wrote this reply in ms word and it corrected it to fetus, is that british/american or just a spelling mistake?

alli balli

Laci Peterson was very close to giving birth when she was killed, and I believe her body actually did after she was killed and dumped in the water. So no, that case did not establish an embryo or fetus as being "life."

There is no one conclusion on what is the beginning of life, and that's why everyone has to be free to make that decision for themself. It's a question that scientists and philosophers have looked at for a very long time, and there isn't one set time.

the_mystic_dude

Well, but legally, a woman can't take a knife and cut out the baby or take medication or other substances in order to kill it. That's murder, so that baby has gotta be "life" already.

Lorna

In my opinion, from the time of conception, it is a life. I can never see myself able to justify having an abortion because to me, it's murder.

When I found out I was pregnant -- which was very early on, I was only 2 or 3 weeks -- from then on, it was a baby to me. I had my first scan at 12 weeks, and I could see the baby moving around. She was alive inside me and had been for 3 months.

I think a lot of people don't think of a baby, as a baby, until after the 1st trimester as there is a much higher chance of miscarriage until then.

Cress

Legally, she can get an abortion or a morning after pill to get rid of it, and some pregnant women keep taking drugs and alcohol that could harm the baby. The new law about it being a crime to harm an unborn baby is something that caused outcry as a sneaky attempt to start making abortion illegal.

I personally don't consider it a life unless it becomes viable, meaning that it's developed enough that it could have life independently of its mother. But I realize that this is controversial and others have different beliefs about life. That's why we need the laws about abortion to leave the choice up to the mother. I don't think we need to impose any one person's belief as the standard for everyone.

Lorna

I really dont want to start an argument, but I just want to ask you something.

When you say you don't consider it a life until the baby can survive independantly, what exactly do you mean? Babies very rarely survive if they are born before 28 weeks as their organs aren't fully developed, but they are most definitely a baby!
My daughter was born when I was 24 weeks pregnant & she died after 1.5 hours. She had been my daughter all those weeks & became even more so in the short time I was able to spend with her. She was not able to survive outside because her vital organs, especially her lungs & heart werent developed sufficiently yet.

So, in your opinion, is she not considered a life because she wasn't able to have life independently of me?

Lexis

I am really sorry for your loss - I can't imagine how awful that must have been for you and your family.

Personally, I don't think I would be able to go through with an abortion. The idea of getting rid of something that was part of me in that way just horrifies me. Luckily, I have never been in that situation.

At the same time, I would never presume to tell other women what they can and cannot do with their body. It is such a personal, life changing decision to have a baby, it is unfair to take a woman's right to choose away.

Cress

That's exactly what I mean. I too am sorry for your loss, but it doesn't change what I believe. It may definitely be a baby, but to me, that's not really alive. Just like when a person who has a serious accident and goes into a coma/vegetative state is not really alive to me. The body may be functioning minimally, but that's not really life as I would see it.

Of course, the choice about whether to pull the plug on the person, or to keep them on the machines is a personal decision of that person's family. Just like the choice to have an abortion should be the business of the individual woman, not the government.

California_ here_ I _come

I consider it to be a life right @ the moment it's conceived. Once that child starts to form in your body it is alive. I consider abortion murder & would never do it. It's to horrible.

Lexis

CHIC : Does that apply in all circumstances? (rape, incest, health of the mother).

Do you believe abortion should be banned? What should be the punishment? How should the ban be enforced?

What would you do about the health of women who are so desperate to terminate their pregnancy that they seek illegal (often dangerous) abortions?

I take it that if you support the ban, you support increases in funding for women who fall pregnant and can not economically cope? And for women who may have to cope with raising a child with serious medical problems? And of course, social services would need huge increases in funding to cope with the children that women were forced to bear but did not want to keep?

And of course, there is the question: should the morning after pill be banned as it could potentially terminate a pregnancy (but obviously at that point it would not be confirmed)? How about contraception full stop? Should that be banned as it could prevent conception?

I really am very curious.

SuperDeluxe

My opinion on when a fetus becomes a baby..is when the baby can feel..and that happens when the fetus's central nervous system forms.

once that happens any aborting of that baby, I consider murder.

UnsilentMajorty

This is the number one counter-argument that many people who are in favor of overturning Roe vs. Wade NEVER answer because...

To be honest, from my perspective, they don't really want to admit that they DON'T care about what happens to the mother, or the (presumably) unwanted baby once it is born. Just that is is born is all that is matters.

It's the classic "not in my backyard", or "as long as it doesn't happen to me" let Hell be unleashed mentality.

SIDE NOTE: The thing that bothers me most about this country and its current mind-set is we ARE growing apart in terms of not only demonizing people whom we don't agree with, but we just do not care about the real life consequences for our actions such as Lexis states above.

I do blame this administration because they do set an example, consciously or not, and this is exactly the approach they are adhering to right now and it frightens and saddens me that a lot of people in this country also seem to be taking this as a cue on how to solve a lot of the more complex problems in the world: By simplifying and breaking them down to black and white because it is easier than really facing them head on and seeing both sides.

Lexis

This is also the reason many European countries are turning away from the US - the administration does not seem open to debate and discussion, preferring to take the "you're either with us or against us" attitude to extreme lengths.

In the UK, there is no great love for the French (despite the Entente Cordiale, the same sterotypes of arrogance, garlic and frogs legs persist). And yet, when french fries are renamed freedom fries, French products are boycotted and wine poured down drains, the reaction here was incredible.

People were literally laughing at the absurd actions that seem to be prevailing in the US.

I would so love to hear the plans of those who oppose abortion - I have never once heard a pro-lifer explain their strategy.

SuperDeluxe

Stratergy for what? And what is a pro-lifer really? Everyone has their own limits..when they think a abortion can/cant happen.