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emilye:

Similarly, no one has ever asked me, “How far along are you?  Is it a legitimate baby yet, or is still a sub-human?”

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emilye:

of-forever:

…..this is just so scientifically wrong is ridiculous. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT PEOPLE. do some fucking research. damn.

Actually these facts are absolutely scientifically correct.  You are the one that needs to do more research.

1) “Day 1 -> Fertilization: All human chromosomes present.  A unique life begins.”

This is correct.  The process of fertilization involves a sperm fusing with an ovum (scientists discovered the dynamics of human fertilization in the nineteenth century).  Once the nuclei of a sperm and an egg fuse, the gametes form a new organism — a single-celled zygote, which is defined as an embyro because it contains a full complement of genetic material.  This genetic material consists of the 23 chromosomes contained in the nucleus of the ovum and 23 chromosomes from the nucleus of the sperm.

It might benefit you to consider the evidence from the modern teaching texts on embryology and prenatal development.  The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 7th edition states:

“Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm (spermatozoo developmentn) unites with a female gamete or oocyte (ovum) to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marked the beginning of each of us as a unique individual.”

“A zygote is the beginning of a new human being (i.e., an embryo).”

Likewise, Before We Are Born: Essentials of Embryology, 7th edition says:

“[The zygote], formed by the union of an oocyte and a sperm, is the beginning of a new human being.”

And similarly, Human Embryology and Teratology, 3rd edition says:

“Although life is a continuous process, fertilization (which, incidentally, is not a ‘moment’) is a critical landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new genetically distinct human organism is formed when the chromosomes of the male and female pronuclei blend in the oocyte.”

Every new life begins at conception. This is an irrefutable fact of biology.

2) “Week 3 -> Umbilical Cord Forms”

This is also correct.  By the end of the third week of development, the embryo is attached to the placenta via a connecting stalk.  It is fully formed by the fifth week of development.  This information can be found in Langman’s Medical Embryology, 5th edition, if you’d like to research it more.

3) “Week 6 -> Heart beats about 80 times per minute (with the baby’s own blood!)”

Correct again.  The human embryo heart begins beating approximately 21 days after conception, (or five weeks after the last normal menstrual period,  which is the date normally used to date pregnancy in the medical community).  The human heart begins beating at a rate near the mother’s, about 75-80 beats per minute (BPM). The embryonic heart rate then accelerates linearly for the first month of beating, peaking at 165-185 BPM during the early 7th week, (early 9th week after the LMP). 

(Sources: DuBose TJ, Cunyus JA, & Johnson L; Embryonic Heart Rate and Age. J Diagn Med Sonography 1990; 6:151-157. Schats R, Jansen CAM, & Waldimiroff; “Embryonic heart activity: appearance and development in early human pregnancy”; Brit J Obstet and Gynaecol, 1990; 97:989-994. Qasim SM, Sachdev R, Trias A, et al)

4) “Week 9 -> Everything present in an adult is now present in the baby!”

This is true.  Although they are not finished developing yet, all the essential organs have at least begun their development and are present.  The fetal stage commences at the beginning of the 9th week, at which point the heart, hands, feet, brain and other organs are present.  There are even breathing-like movement of the fetus that is necessary for stimulation of lung development.

5) “Week 12 -> Facial features are being defined.  baby can make a fist and wrinkle his/her forehead.”

This is also true!  By 10-12 weeks, the face is well formed and looks unquestionably human. The eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and the ears are right where they should be. And the fetus can absolutely make a fist with its fingers at this point!  That’s because the reflexes develop at this time, enabling the baby’s fingers to open and close, his toes to curl, his eye muscles to clench, and his mouth to make sucking movements.  We are well aware of this thanks to ultrasounds — just ask any OB-GYN, or look at reputable pregnancy websites that give detailed information about week-to-week prenatal development.

Nope, nothing wrong or misleading about this.  Science is pretty clear on this one.

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emilye:

Psalm 139: 13-16

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ugh…

(via b0ws-andh0es)