Quote:
Originally Posted by 4X4
IMO, the fetus is part of the woman until it is born and becomes an independent living breathing human. The woman should have control over her own body. I am pro choice 100%
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I think any decision about when a fetus becomes "human" is fairly arbitrary. When it starts out as a fertilized egg it clearly has no awareness or feelings. Long before it is actually born it has the ability to respond to stimuli though - a case could be made that it is human at that point. Or you could make the case that it is a human at the point where it could survive with medical assistance if it were removed from the mother - generally at around 24 weeks. Or you could go with when it actually does leave the mother, regardless of developmental stage. Or you could go with when it gains some level of self-awareness, or when it is able to survive without assistance (both much later - though I don't think very many would advocate "after-birth abortion").
My own position isn't very black and white. I'd like to see the need for abortion reduced (e.g. with proper education on birth control, and awareness of alternatives), but accept that sometimes it's going to happen for various reasons, and if abortions are going to happen I'd rather it was done in a safe, controlled environment rather than a back alley. I think the medical association policy of no abortions after 20 weeks except to save the mother's life is a reasonable compromise.