The Ethics of the Beginning of Life

Abortion, Fertility Treatments, Stem Cells,

Cloning

Some Initial Thoughts

• Bioethics – What is it?

• Pay attention to language– What makes a being human?– What’s the difference between a human being

and a human person

• What is technically and scientifically possible is not for that very reason morally admissible or allowable

Consistent Ethic of Life• AKA, the seamless

garment theory• Basic focus Value of

Life• Protection of Life “womb

to tomb”• Issues of Life are

interrelated and interconnected – What are some of the

issues?– abortion, modern warfare,

the death penalty, and euthanasia,

Dignity of Human Person

• Our physical, temporal lives (and bodies) are gifts

• Human Life is of basic value at all stages– “From womb to tomb”

• Consistent Ethic of Life

• General Presumption to Protect Innocent Human Life

When does the human being become a human person?

• At the moment of conception?

• At the point where no differentiation can occur?

• At some point during fetal development?

• At the point of birth?

• One year after birth?– Peter Singer

When does the human being become a human person?

• Fetal Development– After uterine implantation– After twinning is no longer possible– Heartbeat– Brainwaves– Quickening

• Movement felt by mothers (around 18-20 weeks)

– Viability– Full term

Reactions to the Fetal Development

• What strikes you about the data?

Central Values and Questionsin the Abortion Debate

• When does human life begin?– Human life is precious and sacred

• Never directly take the life of an innocent human being

– Are we playing God if we have an abortion?

• What about the woman’s right to privacy?

• Why are women having abortions?

What Week?

What Week?

What Week?

What Week?

What Week?

What Week? • Zygote• 30 hours after

fertilization• Size of a pin head

What Week?• 6-7 Weeks• All major organs forming• Own blood type, unique

from the mother’s • Hair follicles, nipples form • Knees and elbows are

visible• Facial features

observable • Eyes have a retina and

lens • Major muscle system

developed • Embryo is able to move.

What Week? • 12 Weeks• Heart nearly developed• Heart rate can be heard• Most organs developed• Red bloods are produced• Face well formed• Eyes almost developed• Eyelids close until 28th Week• Fetus can make fist• Testosterone is produced in

male testes

What Week? • 16 Weeks• Brain fully developed • Fetus can suck, swallow,

and make irregular breathing sounds.

• Fetus can feel pain • Fetal skin almost

transparent. • Active movements

including kicks and even somersaults.

• Muscles tissue is lengthening and bones are becoming harder.

What Week? • 24 Weeks• A protective waxy

substance called Vernix covers the skin.

• Fetus has a hand and startle reflex.

• Footprints and fingerprints are forming.

• Fetus practices breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid into its developing lungs.

Abortion Stats

• There are 1.31 million abortions in the U.S. each year.

• 48% of women now seeking abortion have had at least one previous abortion.

• The U.S. abortion rate is among the highest of developed countries.

• The U.S. abortion rate per 100 pregnancies is 24.5.

At What Point in Gestation?

• 23% in the first 6 weeks -- 301,300 annually34.5% in the seventh or eighth week -- 451,950 annually

• 19.5% in the ninth or tenth week -- 255,450 annually• 10% in the eleventh or twelfth week -- 131,000 annually• 6.0% in the thirteenth through fifteenth weeks -- 78,600

annually• 4.5% in the sixteenth through twentieth weeks -- 58,950

annually• 1.5% at twenty-one weeks or more -- 19,650 annually

At What Point in Gestation

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Gestational Weeks

Before 6 Weeks

7-8 Weeks

9-10 Weeks

11-12 Weeks

13-15 Weeks

16-20 Weeks

Beyond 20 Weeks

Primary Reasons for Seeking Abortion

Can't Afford

Unready

Concerned about Change of life

Problems with Relationship/AvoidSingle ParentingNot Mature

Don't want more children

Potential Fetal Health Problem

Mother's Health

Rape/Incest

Partner wants abortion

Don't want others to know they had sex

Slice 12

Why Women Have Abortions – Primary Reasons

• 21% can't afford a baby• 21% are unready for responsibility• 16% concerned about how having a baby could change their lives• 12% have problems with relationship or want to avoid single

parenthood• 11% are not mature enough/are too young to have children• 8% have all the children they want/have all grown-up children• 3% possible fetal health problem• 3% maternal health problem• 1% pregnancy resulted from rape or incest• 1% husband/partner wants them to have abortion• 1% don’t want others to know they had sex or are pregnant

Fertility Treatment

• Artificial Insemination– AIH vs. AID– Rarely done today– Insemination can occur in cervix, uterus, or

fallopian tubes

• In Vitro Fertilization– Insemination outside the womb, in “test tube”– Then implanted

Other Issues Around Fertility Treatment

• “Spares”– Frozen embryos left over from fertility

treatments

• What are the ethical questions surrounding spares?– Do we throw them out?– Do we allow people to adopt them?– Do we use them for research?

• Stem Cells

In Vitro Fertilization• Marriage is both unitive and procreative• Both AI and IVF are physically divorced from the

unitive aspect of marriage• Over 200,000 IVF babies in U.S. since 1981• Average cost is $12,400

• Is the laboratory the “loving environment” in which children should ideally be created?

• What about unused embryos? Human life or simply lab material?

What to do with “spares”?• More than 500,000 frozen

embryos are stored in clinics throughout the U.S.

• What do we do with this “human life on ice”?

– Allow the clinic to destroy the embryos

– Allow the embryos to remain in storage indefinitely

– Donate the embryos to another infertile couple so their embryos have a chance at life