Granite said:
I think I just spelled it out, OF.
No really. So far we have:
a fertilized egg - OK to abort
not yet a human - OK to abort
not yet a person - OK to abort
Let's make a time line and you indicate where it becomes NOT OK to abort:
0 days abd earlier- Egg - pre-fertilization
7-14 days- Cells multiply and become specialized for muscular, neural, reproductive, skeletal, digestive, and circulatory functions.
20 days- Eyes start to form
22 days- Heart begins to beat
23 days- Central nervous system begins to develop
4 weeks- Skeleton forms and muscles develop, arms and legs begin to form
5 weeks- Nose and mouth form
6 weeks- Brain waves can be recorded
8 weeks- All organs are present, complete, and functioning (except lungs- they follow a little later)
8-10 weeks- Body is completely formed. Responds to touch, fingers and toes defined, has permanent fingerprints, baby can suck thumb
8-13 weeks- The child's sex can be distinguished
11-12weeks- Finger and toenails form, the child can make all facial expressions. All organ systems are working, the baby can feel pain
15 weeks- "Fluff" appears on the baby's head, also has visible eyebrows, eyelashes
16 weeks- Mother can feel the baby move, heart pumps six gallons of blood per day, very rapid growth. Can have REM (dream) sleep
18 weeks- the child is now "complete," needing only more time to grow.
22 weeks- Mother can feel the baby hiccup
20-24 weeks- If born this young, the child could survive outside the womb
25-40 weeks- continued growth and maturity
