In many arguments on whether abortion is ethical, it comes down to one big question. Is the fetus alive? Some say that the fetus is a child, others say that it is just tissue and skeleton. There is scientific evidence to support both answers. Now here are the facts:
The Fetus is Alive
If the fetus is alive, then abortion would be considered murder because the child would have the same rights as we do. Fetuses feel some sort of pain or show some sort of reaction that indicates suffering during the painful procedure of abortion. (MayoClinic) According to Maureen Condic, a professor of fetology, “the most primitive response to pain is the spinal reflex.” The spinal system of the fetus is developed in the middle of the first trimester of the pregnancy. Meaning that any abortion performed after the development of the spinal system would cause serious pain to the fetus. At just 12 weeks into the pregnancy, the functions of the fetus are indistinguishable from other human beings. The heart has been functioning properly for around 8 weeks and there have been brain waves for no less than 5 weeks. (The Silent Scream) If the fetus behaves as we do, then it is alive. Dr. Levatino, an ex-abortionist who has performed thousands of abortions, speaks of his abortion experiences. He says, “As I looked at the body parts stacked on the table, I didn't see her right to choose, I didn't see the money I had just made, I saw someone's dead son or daughter.”
The Fetus is Not Alive
If the fetus is not alive, then it is not subject to human rights. As defined in the Roe versus Wade case, an abortion is the termination of a pregnancy, not a child (Britannica). The fetus is not a fully developed human being. According to multiple medical professionals, it does not experience pain like humans do. Stuart Derbyshire, a psychology professor, says, "Fetuses cannot be held to experience pain. Not only has the biological development not yet occurred to support pain experience, but the environment after birth, so necessary to the development of pain experience, is also yet to occur.”(ProCon) In the end, the basis on the life of a fetus comes down to biology. Neuroscientists claim that the cortex controls pain perception. However, the cortex is not fully developed and functioning until very late into the pregnancy. Abortion cannot be considered murder if the victim is not a living, breathing, functioning human being like us.
While the evidence for one opinion seems to completely contradict the other, there is enough evidence to build a case for both sides. A 2018 poll found that 77% of women in the US believe that the fetus is not alive and that women should have access to abortions at all times. (Gallup Poll)
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