A View of the World Changes Someones Mind About Abortion - Essay Example

A View of the World Changes Someone’s Mind About Abortion Abortion is one of the most controversial issues in politics and medicine today. When examining the developmental cycle of a fetus, one can better grasp the concept of fetuses as human beings. Many religious views oppose abortion, specifically Catholicism. The purpose of this paper is to examine the fetal development process in utero as well as a few religious perspectives on abortion. If and when a line should be drawn on a fetal age which is appropriate for abortion, will also be discussed as well. It is also relevant to discuss exceptions for when abortion is considered to be an appropriate measure such as in cases of rape or incest. The genesis of procreation takes place of course when 2 gametes (sperm in males, ovum in females) combine within a woman’s body, in order to form a zygote. Sperm in males and ovum in females, are what is known as haploid cells. Aside from gametes, all of the cells within the human body are diploid, meaning they have a homologous (identical) set of chromosomes. Sperm and ovum are haploid (only one of each chromosome), in order for them to combine with another haploid cell (during fertilization or conception) to form a diploid cell. This new diploid cell, containing half of its DNA from its mother and the other half of its DNA from its father. The new diploid cell formed from conception is known as a zygote. This zygote then begins to do what any normal cell does and that is to undergo cell division. This means that the zygote makes copies of itself. The new cells multiple themselves and more cells are then exponentially produced. All of these new cells which are identical to the original are called stem cells. Stem calls are simply cells which have not been assigned a position as a specific part of the human body. Stem cells are exposed to hormones specific to a certain organ, and then those stem cells become a specific cell conducive to its respective organ. A stem cell may be exposed to a hormone found in the kidneys and therefore that cell becomes a kidney cell. Stem cell research is also a very controversial political platform because stem cells are only found in a growing fetus and must be harvested from a fetus in order to be transplanted into patients requiring new organs or tissue. Within the new cluster of cells within the woman whose ovum has recently been fertilized by a sperm, cell differentiation begins to take place. Cell differentiation is the term used for stem cells being hormonally assigned to become specific body cells (differentiation). Once the zygote (fertilized egg) has formed into a cell cluster, it will travel down the fallopian tubes and essentially imbed itself into the walls of the uterus. The inner portion of the zygote’s cell cluster is the embryo. The cells surrounding the embryo are the beginning of the placenta, the fetus’s source of nutrition and oxygen coming from the mother‘s body. The placenta also forms a barrier or a filter between the mother and her growing baby. The mother’s food intake also becomes nutrition for the baby oxygen intake similarly supplies the fetus with oxygen. Other things may also cross the placental barrier, like medication, alcohol, drugs and chemicals. That is why it is not recommended for women to take certain medications during pregnancy. Alcohol consumption and smoking are also not recommended as these substances pass through the placenta and into the baby’s developing body. It is during the third week of pregnancy, that the zygote has reached the uterus and implanted itself into the uterine wall. At this stage of development, the fertilized egg (zygote) is known as a blastocyste and is composed of around 500 cells. This is also about the time that the woman may be suspecting that she is pregnant and may test positive on a pregnancy test. The Fourth week of pregnancy marks the beginning of development of essential organs such as the spinal cord, the heart and the brain. This period is what is known as the embryonic stage of fetal development. The development of the brain, spinal cord and backbone will begin development within the neural tube. If one were to look at a 4 week old fetus, one would notice three distinct layers. The outer portion of the embryo is actually what becomes the neural tube. This layer is known as the ectoderm. The middle layer is the beginning of the heart, bone structure and reproductive system. This is called the mesoderm. The inner layer or the endoderm, is what will become the lungs, bladder and intestines. The Fifth week of development is marked by a fetal heartbeat. This is often a point in pregnancy where it is thought that the embryo becomes an actual living organism. Others feel that the moment of conception marks the beginning of life. During week 5 of pregnancy, the embryo is equal in size to the tip of a pen. Upon the beginning of the heart beat of the embryo, the circulatory system begins to function which is the first organ system that becomes functional for an embryo, in utero. Week 6 of pregnancy is typically the time of facial feature development. Though rudimentary, the embryo begins to develop a mouth and nose. In addition, the neural tube which was open up to this point, begins to close. The embryo’s respiratory system begins development at this point also. In addition, the embryo develops arm buds around this time which will grow to resemble paddles within the next several weeks. During week 7, the embryo develops an umbilical cord which serves to deliver nutrients and oxygen from the mother’s body to the fetus. At the 8 week mark of pregnancy, the embryo develops toes, fingers, and the facial features become more pronounced. The fetus is about ½ an inch long at this point as well. During week 9, the embryo begins to move but is still too small for its movements to be felt by its mother. The embryo will also begin to form hair follicles and nail beds. Before the end of the first trimester, the embryo will have mass produced neurons, its organs will have all begun to form, the embryonic tail at the end of the spinal cord will have almost disappeared, and the sex will have been determined. Prior to week 11 of pregnancy, all embryos appear non specific in sex. It is a process of cell differentiation that determines whether the embryo forms a penis or clitoris. Once these structures have formed, the remainder of the reproductive organs follow. After the eleventh week, the embryo can officially be called a fetus. As the second trimester begins, the fetus will be about 3 inches long and will have fingernails and toenails. It is during this time of pregnancy that most women feel that they are “over the hump” or past the time of possible miscarriages. Miscarriages are certainly more likely during the first trimester of pregnancy but can still happen into the second trimester. Usually, when a fetus is miscarried after the age of viability, it is referred to as a “still birth”. The age of viability refers to the earliest gestational age that a fetus can be born and reasonably live outside of its mother’s womb. This is usually said to be 28 weeks gestation. Babies born earlier than this have a very small chance of survival as their respiratory development is usually not adequate enough to allow them to survive outside of the womb. During week 15, the movements of the fetus may begin to be felt by the mother. The legs of the fetus also begin to form during this time as well. On an ultrasound, a woman may see her growing fetus sucking its thumb. This stage of development is also marked by the growth of eyebrows. During week 16, the fetus begins to put on body fat and the fetus begins to breathe. The breathing that the fetus performs does not involve oxygen but is actually just amniotic fluid going in and out of the fetus’s lungs preparing them for when the fetus must breathe oxygen after birth. Week 20 represents the half point of pregnancy and by this time, the fetus has formed alveoli ( tiny sacs in the lungs which aid in breathing), myelin has begun to form (myelin is the fatty coating of nerve cells, and can also be referred to as Schwan’s cells. Allows nerve impulses to travel smoothly across neurons), teeth buds have forms and the fetus begins to look more like a baby. At week 20, the fetus is about 6 inches long and weighs about 240 grams. After the twentieth week, the mother’s body begins to transfer immunities to the fetus. Nerve cells which will allow the fetus to smell, taste, hear and touch are being developed as well for when the fetus is born. The body of the fetus begins to become more proportional at this point as opposed to the embryonic state where the embryo’s head was half the size of its entire body. By the twenty second week of pregnancy, the fetus weighs nearly a pound and is able to hear the voice of its mother as well as the other sounds taking place around the mother. The week 22 fetus has fully developed eyelids, fully grown fingernails and toenails and a brain that is undergoing rapid development. The germinal matrix within the brain center of the fetus is quickly producing brain cells. The germinal matrix is a structure within the brain of the fetus that disappears shortly before time of birth. If the fetus is male, the testes will begin ro produce testosterone, a male hormone. A twenty - three week old fetus has about a 15% chance of surviving outside of the womb. During week 25, the fetus begins to form blood vessels within its lungs. It also is able to swallow, and the nostrils open up. This is also a time for further development of the spinal cord. During week 26, the lungs of the baby being to produce surfactant, a necessary chemical for the fetal lungs to not stick together while in utero. The fetus now weighs about 2 pounds. By the twenty-seventh week, the retinas of the fetus’ eyes are formed. During this stage of development, every day that the fetus stays within utero, increases its chances of living outside of the womb if born early, by a small percentage. The twenty-eighth week marks the point in which the fetus’ lungs being to operate. After the 28 weeks of gestation, the fetus is in the third trimester. This is the time during pregnancy when the woman is visibly pregnant and can feel the activity of her unborn baby. At this point, the fetus weighs about 3 pounds and is beginning to open its eyes. During week 29 of gestation, the bones of the fetus are fully developed. By week 30, the fetus will begin to move its diaphragm in and out in order to practice and prepare for breathing outside of the womb. The fetus is also gaining weight at a rate of about ½ pound per week, until time of delivery. By week 31, the testes of a male fetus will descend out of the body from the area of the kidneys. Bay born at this gestational period will still have under developed lungs meaning that if born now, the baby will most likely require a ventilator. Babies born around 22 weeks gestation do not run the risk of a brain bleed after birth that a fetus of 28 or 29 weeks gestation may experience if born during that time. By the thirty fourth week, the fetus will begin to see light through the mother’s body. By week 36, a fetus weighs as much as 6 ½ pounds and is around 18 inches long. This is also the time of gestation where the head of the baby will descend downward towards the cervix to prepare for birth. By week 37, the fetus is considered to be full term and has an almost 100% chance of survival as long as it does not suffer from any illness, birth defects or genetic conditions. Between weeks 37 and 40, the unborn baby continues to gain body fat and complete lung development. The lungs of the fetus are the last organ to fully develop. (Mayo Clinic, 2008). In discussing the morality of abortion, one must consider the act itself and decide whether one views a fetus as a living organism or a non living organism. In addition, if a fetus is a living organism, the decision as to when it becomes a living organism is subjective and debated. The processes used to carry out abortions differ in relationship to the age of the fetus as well as the size. In embryos under 6 weeks gestational age, a cannula may be used to “suck” along the walls of the uterus in order to dislodge the embryo and vacuum it out of the mother’s body, this is one type of early stage abortion. After 6 weeks gestational age, a vacuum device may be used which is operated by a hand held pump by the physician. This device does almost the same thing as a cannula but is larger to facilitate more tissue, since the fetus is larger than prior ro six weeks gestation. Once this is complete, a curette device is used to scrape the uterus of any remaining tissue from the fetus. Dilation and curettage may also be used during the first trimester, also called a D&C. This is a dilation of the uterus followed by a scraping of the uterine walls with a curette. Other first trimester abortions may involve chemicals or medication such as the “morning after pill”. One type of chemically induced abortion is the use of Methotrexate, which is toxic to fetuses when ingested by the mother up through the ninth week of pregnancy. During the second trimester of abortion, a Dilation and extraction may be performed, or a D&E. This process is simply a dilation of the cervix followed by surgical extraction of the fetus with forceps. D&E procedures are also performed during thirs trimester abortions as well. Prior to initiating D&C, many abortions involve some type of injection into the amniotic sac or into the body of the fetus in order to minimize the possibility of a live birth. If a fetus survives an abortion, it is often left to die by the acting physician. Many individuals become pregnant by mistake. Unfortunately, there are a great deal of women who use abortion as a method of birth control. This is arguably irresponsible and ultimately wrong. Women however, have fought for millennia for rights in general, and the right to choose what happens to one’s own body seems an elemental and basic right. Certainly arguments can be legitimately made in favor of a woman’s right to choose what she feels is best for her body. There are many cases where women are brutally raped and become pregnant. Some of these instances occur in women who are raped by a family member and become pregnant with a baby that is a product of incest. On the other hand, arguments can be made that a fertilized egg is a living thing that results in a human being. In addition, murder is illegal and wrong, so it serves to argue that a fetus is a person and therefore if aborted is essentially murdered. There are arguments which reside in the middle of this controversial issue which declare that yes, abortion is elimination of a human being but in cases of rape or incest, abortion should just be considered collateral damage. In addition, it can be said that some women who become pregnant that choose to have an abortion, are doing their offspring a favor by aborting them as they simply were not equipped to raise a child when they became pregnant. On the other hand, there are thousands of families that wish to adopt as they are perhaps not able to have children of their own. There are certainly alternatives to abortion, such as adoption or responsible sexual behavior prior to pregnancy in order to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Furthermore, if one is able to legitimately justify to themselves that they require an abortion, the question of what gestational age is appropriate, still remains. Within the Catholic Faith, the act of abortion is considered to be a sin as the termination of a fetus is considered murder, “ The Catholic Church has always condemned abortion as a grave evil. Christian writers from the first-century author of the Didache to Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Evangelium Vitae ("The Gospel of Life") have maintained that the Bible forbids abortion, just as it forbids murder. This tract will provide some examples of this consistent witness from the writings of the Fathers of the Church” (Catholic Answers, 2002). In 2007, the Vatican discontinued funding Amnesty International due to the group’s views on abortion. Amnesty International has maintained a woman’s right to seek an abortion in the event of rape or incest. (Campbell, 2007). The Catholic church asserts that even though babies are unborn, they still have a souls and are innocent or without sin. The act of abortion is believed to not only be murder but taking life in human hands when the things of life and death should be left to the hands of God. This applies to instances of rape and incest as well. The Catholic church feels that even in these tragic circumstances, a child may be given up for adoption as opposed to terminating a pregnancy. This view is also embraced by other denominations of Christianity such as Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian and Evangelical Christianity. In 1995, Pope John Paul spoke publicly in opposition to the act of abortion by saying that it was going to continue to be admonished by the Catholic church. (Catholic Answers, 2002). Interestingly, the Jewish faith though somewhat Bible based (the Jewish faith follows the teachings of the Old Testament) , is not opposed to abortion. By Jewish standards, in order for murder to be committed, the person or thing being murdered must have a soul The Jewish faith teaches that one does not have a soul until one has taken their first breath, therefore making an unborn fetus a non-living thing, “Note that the soul does not necessarily enter the body even at birth. Thus, a stillborn baby or a baby who dies within the first weeks of life does not normally receive a Jewish funeral. Funerals for aborted fetuses conducted by anti-abortion activists are contrary to Jewish tradition; if the fetus is from a Jewish woman, such a funeral is an insulting intrusion by gentile dogma into that woman's life”. (Ross, 2005). An even more complicated argument for abortion is in the cases of women whose lives are at risk if pregnancy is continued. This is often an ultimatum that many women face. They are placed in a position where their health is at risk and if they continue with a pregnancy, both they and their unborn baby will most likely die. This type of scenario may be the only justified reason fro having an abortion in some opinions. Certainly, in the best interest of preserving life, which anti-abortionists seek to do, it is argumentatively justified to terminate a pregnancy in order to save one out of two lives when death for both mother and baby are eminent if the pregnancy continues. From a political aspect, many argue that the fight to legalize abortion stems from a strong desire to keep law makers from attaching laws to individual persons’ bodies. This is a valid point, but there must be a consideration for all persons when taking this into account, both the body of the woman who is pregnant and the unborn baby. In the event that a woman decides to have an abortion, another ongoing controversy is at what fetal age should an abortion no longer be an option. When looking at the week by week gestation of a fetus, it is clear that up to about 22 weeks, a fetus has little to no chance for surviving outside of the womb. Babies that are born at 24 weeks gestation only have about a 20% chance of survival but most assuredly will have massive and chronic health problems for the rest of their life if they even survive infancy. Babies born severely prematurely are almost always placed on ventilators. This can be the case for a few months or for the rest of their lives depending on the conditions of their lungs at time of birth. Babies born at 28 - 30 weeks gestation stand a greater chance of survival but are most often still placed on a ventilator and suffer from brain bleeds, acidosis, jaundice, blindness, brain damage, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and other birth defects. Each week after the 30 week mark improves a babies chances of survival if born early. It is really not until a fetus reaches 27 weeks that is has a certain chance of survival without impairments and defects. Even more controversial than just the issue of abortion is the topic of partial birth abortion. Partial birth abortion takes place when the baby is too large to remove with a suction cannula or through D&C. The process of partial birth abortion consists of the doctor delivering the baby’s body while leaving the head in the birthing canal. The procedure terminates the baby while astill partially inside the mother in order to consider the baby legally unborn. The problem with this is that partial birth abortions take place in babies that are of viable age. In other words, partial birth abortion takes the place of simply delivering the baby and giving it up for adoption. In parts of the world where this is legal, it can be done up through full term of the baby. (Povone, 2007). In the arena of pro-choice argument, women are essentially fighting for the right to make decisions about their bodies. Many find it offensive that males make decisions in government positions over whether or not a woman should be permitted to have an abortion, regardless of her reason fro doing so. In addition, pro-choice individuals will can argue that if abortion is not made legal in certain parts of the world, women will have no alternative but to acquire back alley abortions with unsanitary equipment and no medical attention. This is arguably a sensible position but also, illegal activity of any kind takes place whether it is in fact legal or not. It can also be said that if abortion is not legal, women who are sexually active and not wanting to become pregnant, will be more inclined to use preventative measures such as birth control pills and condoms. In conclusion, regardless of what the scientific data tells us about fetal development, there is no definitive point in gestation which can actually be decided on as to when a fetus is a baby. It can be said that a fertilized egg, a zygote, is a living cell by definition. The criteria for life are met by any living cell and a zygote is in fact, a living cell. Others will assert that a fetus is not really living until it can viably exist outside of the womb, which may be reasonably said to be 24 weeks gestation, though its chances are not high for survival outside of the womb. Still others will argue that regardless of whether a fetus is living or not, it is within the body of another human being who should have the right to decide what happens to their bodies. Finally, many will additionally argue that although abortion may be wrong, it is justifiable in instances of rape, incest or life and death situations involving the mother. When looking at the process of conception and gestation, one can easily perceive how a zygote, embryo or fetus are all living beings. Additionally, there are families desperately trying to have a bay and are simply not able to making adoption their only option. For these people, the opportunity to adopt an unwanted but full term baby, is an opportunity of a life time. Conversely, it seems beyond irresponsible to use abortion as a birth control method when so many people desperately seek the chance to raise a child. In the case of women who are raped, it is most likely the healthiest alternative for the child to be placed up for adoption, as it is hard to determine how the mother might behave towards the child considering the circumstances surrounding the child’s conception. This is also the case for children who may be products of incest. Adoption may be the only alternative in insuring the child id not mistreated in any way. In cases of incest, the child may suffer birth defects as offspring of two closely related people are often born with numerous birth defects and syndromes. The nature of a human being is more than just the physical aspects of life, as in the body. Human beings are equipped with souls which make us who we are. A personality, a propensity to love, to be loved, to express, to have goals and ambitions, to think, to create and even to hate. When one considers the fact that life is sacred, and the essence of a human being is not just the elemental pieces that make up the physical body, one may easily arrive at the conclusion that abortion is simply not an option. If each and every person on the planet has a unique quality about them that makes them who they are, and we all originated from the same origins of the womb, than it is in accordance with that to say that from the time conception takes place, a new life has formed and is entitled to the same respect of human life that the rest of us are entitled to. References: Catholic Answers, 2002, Abortion, retrieved from website at: http://www.catholic.com/library/Abortion.asp Kulier R, Gülmezoglu AM, Hofmeyr GJ, Cheng LN, Campana A. Medical Methods for First trimester abortions, retrieved May 17, 2008 from website at: http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab002855.html Mayo Clinic, 2008, Fetal Development, What Happens During the Third Trimester? Retrieved May 19, 2008 from website at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fetal-development/PR00114 Campbell, Duncan. 2007, Amnesty Faces Catholic Church Boycott Over Abortion Policy, Guardian.co.uk, retrieved May 17, 2008 from website at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2007/aug/10/religion.humanrights Pregnancy.org, Fetal Development 2nd Trimester, retrieved May 17, 2008 from website at: http://www.pregnancy.org/pregnancy/fetaldevelopment2.php Povone, Frank., 2007, Partial Birth Abortion, retrieved May 18, 2008 from website at: http://www.priestsforlife.org/partialbirth.html Ross, David E., 2005, Abortion and Religion, retrieved May 18, 2008 from website at: http://www.rossde.com/editorials/edtl_abortion_religion.html Read More