DEFINITION OF ABORTION

According to dictionary.com, abortion is defined as “the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy.” People often debate whether or not abortion is morally right. They often dispute if aborting an embryo or fetus is considered taking a life. Abortion is legally allowed during any time of a pregnancy, but is at least risky during the first trimester (3 months) of pregnancy. So, when is a life considered a life; is it when that baby takes its first breath, when their organs grow, or from the moment when the egg and sperm procreate?

BabyCenter.com has a week by week progression of a pregnancy. Around week five of a pregnancy a baby is about the size of sesame seed but, has a brain, spinal cord, the start of a circulatory system, and a beating heart. By week nine the baby’s tail is gone, and looks more like a human. The baby is about the size of grape and weighs a fraction of an ounce. Although they are still extremely tiny, they are beginning to have defined facial features, limbs, and fingers. During week twelve, a baby’s kidneys start producing urine. The baby now has finger nails and can clench its hands. Around this time,