Is there any definite MEDICAL evidence of when exactly a fetus becomes a living person?

Question

Of course, this has to do with the abortion issue. But my question is whether apart from what pro-lifers and pro-choicers claim, there is any OBJECTIVE and DEFINITE scientific answer to the question of when exactly life begins.

And can you provide links to serious sites discussing the subject? Thank you.

Answer 1

No, there isn't, because there's an argument over how "life" is defined.

Religiously (as many pro-lifers think), "life" begins at the moment of conception because there is nothing to refute the idea that the spirit of a person isn't present from that moment on.

Scientifically, it's dificult to define "life" in terms of a new being. Technicially, the very first time the sperm meets the egg, there is "life" because the zygote is a living, replicating cell. However, the argument is usually not over where "life" begins but rather where recognizably HUMAN life begins- which is equally as ambiguous when one figures that most mammalian fetuses (feti?) are very similar up until the later stages of gestation.

The argument also centers around when the "potential" for human life ceases to be potential and becomes actual, but again this rests on a very vague definition of the idea of human life.

So, in short, there is no medical evidence of when life begins, and won't be until there is a solid definition of when life begins.

Answer 2

I think the best way to determine if a fetus is alive is if there is an eeg reading from it. I don't think its possible to give a fetus that kind of test yet. But from a religious or moral perspective, isn't it more important to say wether it has a soul before it is decided to abort it?

Who can really determine that for certain. I'm pro choice, I definitely think a fetus should be allowed to mature enough to make an informed choice as to wether it should have been aborted.

Answer 3

No, there is no medical answer. It all depends on when YOU think life begins. Some believe that life begins at conception. Some believe it's when the fetus moves. Others believe it's when they take their first breath, and see light. It is very controversial, with ALL religion groups in the world. And very controversial with the entire population of the world! Which is unfortunate, as they can use fetal cord blood to use for medical breakthroughs for cancer, but because of so many people believing that life begins at conception, if it happens at ALL, it happens to much, according to them. I'm not saying anyone is wrong. How can opinion be wrong? Right?

Answer 4

There is no generally agreed upon definition of what life is. Some people think even a fertilized egg is a life form. By that account, so are skin cells you find scratched off under your fingernails. Some people thnk that many of the two-legged creatures walking this planet don't qualify as life forms. So form your won opinion and don't let extremists influence you.

Answer 5

I don't think it's very well defined as you can see from the variety of answers. I would argue that once the fetus can survive without the mothers body...it is alive.

Answer 6

Roe v. Wade established 24 weeks of gestation as when a fetus could sustain life if it was born.

Answer 7

I always understood that, as soon as the egg starts to divide in to cells, technically it is a potential human being, others would argue that it is when there is the first sign of a beating heart.

Answer 8

Male`s sperm is living,females`s ovum is living, fertilised ovum is living. So life is already existing before conception. Life begins before conception. And that life is fetal life..

Answer 9

The heart is beating at 18 days after conception.

Answer 10

human life starts when the first heartbeat beats,during the thrid week after conception