What Exactly is Life?

It was very hard for me to pick a subject but I chose to talk about something I really cherish since my life dream is to become an Ob/Gyn. I will discuss the perspectives of what defines a life. What is the definition of a fetus? It's an unborn offspring of a mammal, in particular an unborn human baby more than eaight weeks old. From this definition, you see the word "unborn" and you would want to ask "If it's not born yet, does it have life?" In class we discussed many perspectives that in some cases, people believe that "life" begins from the first day of conception. In some countries and with religion, this is definitely so. In Korea, upon a child's birth, they are already classified as one years old. In Catholicism, souls are input in children the moment they are conceived. You begin to wonder if "life" begins inside the womb of the mother, then why not make all childrens' birthday's begin at one years old when they came out the womb? The definition of life has definitely aroused many issues and the largest one is about abortion. So what is abortion? It's the expulsion of a fetus through spontaneous miscarriage( the definition that many people do not align abortion with) or artificial induction(what many people recognize the term abortion as). Here are some facts that you would find interesting from the National Right to Life Organization:

1. A heartbeat begins 18-21 days after conception.

2. Brain waves can be detected as early as 40 days

3. During 7 to 10 weeks of pregnancy, a child's face is recognizable.

A heartbeat to many people is a symbolism of having life. Having brain wave activity is a symbolism of thought and emotion. Having a face defines us as a person. It is believed that having these three things definitely makes us alive and human. From an emotional standpoint, it's really hard to see something that's developing and looking just like us before birth as not one of us. 1973 Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Borton legalized abortion for all months of pregnancy for "any" reason. Today, "any" reason is becoming less acceptable in society. Laws are being heavily established or already have been established in states to where "any" reason wouldn't exactly work. In the past year, six states passed laws to where you can't get an abortion passed 20 weeks based on a theory that a fetus can feel pain after that point. Nineteen states don't allow 86-99% of their counties to have access to abortion providers(CBS News). Our society has definitely shaped itself to support the "life" of a person, unborn or born. I leave it to you decide when does a life "begin."

Here's some information collected from a recent poll done by the National Right to Life Organization

- Women have cited "social reasons," not mother's health or rape/incest, as thir motivation in approximately 93% of all abortions

- A March 2013 poll by The Polling Company found that 53% of Americans oppose legal abortion except in only 3 or fewer circumstances: when the pregnancy results from rape or incest or whn it threatens the life of the mother