On Abortions and Personhood

This writing adds to contemporary discussions about when a fetus is considered alive. The prevailing view is that the fetus becomes alive when we can regard it as a human being with personhood. Different ideological perspectives give it a different time frame. Some propose that personhood is attained only at birth. Others think it occurs at some point after conception and before the birth. Regardless, these ideas shape the view of abortion as a moral wrong or right within their respective groups. My argument is that after the gametes fuse and form the zygote, the zygote possesses a definite identity and personhood. Therefore, all abortions are morally wrong at any stage of pregnancy except in cases where the mother’s life is in danger.

 

Years ago, people identified persons by their name and address. Today, we identify people using unique fingerprints or DNA sequences. But when does the DNA that officially identifies a person form? It happens at the moment when the gametes fuse to form the zygote. The zygote is a different person with a unique genetic identity even if it occupies the mother's body. Life doesn't enter the zygote some time after conception. It is there from the moment it is formed. The same life continues until the person dies. The whole body of the fetus, from the pre-embryonic stage to the fully grown, comprises cells that contain copies of the same DNA. It is human DNA, not any other species. It remains unchanged throughout the person’s life if they are allowed to be born. Even the person’s cancerous cells carry the same DNA sequence. Therefore, an unborn fetus attains personhood when it has its unique DNA. That is, right when it becomes a zygote. 

The unique, human DNA, with twenty-three pairs of chromosomes, remains the person's identity marker throughout their life.  What is more, the person's gender (XX, XY, or XXY) is also assigned at conception. A Common-sense conservative approach to abortion allows women to abort their babies only if the mother’s life is in danger. It argues for the sanctity of life. However, only if there is free, irresponsible sex will people need a pro-abortion approach. Why does the Democratic party promote such activities instead of an ethically sound, responsible sex and pro-life way of life that Republicans argue for? 

Some people want to know what is the right age for abortion. We know that the zygote has a unique DNA. Since DNA is sufficient to identify a criminal, how can we say a zygote has no personhood? How long can we allow a living zygote to live? Is it not the same zygote that multiplies to produce a full-fledged human? Rudolf Virchow’s cell theory still holds. Life comes “only” from pre-existing life. No one can bring the DNA in dead cells back to life. That is why life has something more to it than just DNA, though we lack proper language or categories to describe what constitutes life. We cannot give life to a dead body or produce a living thing from non-living stuff. Then, who gives us the right to take another’s life? Consider this: what if humans were unicellular? What would abortion look like then?

 

We all know that life does not enter an embryo out of the blue. From the moment of conception, it is alive. I don’t think the fetus declares itself alive at a particular stage. A person remains alive until they die, and no baby issues an “I am alive” certificate from the womb. If so, from the time a zygote is formed, it should be regarded as having a right to life. I wonder about the psyche of people dedicated to preserving unicellular bacteria found on Mars yet seem indifferent to the life of a developing fetus.