BIOLOGY BACKGROUND
Conception: A Sperm's Journey (great video)
Fetal Development (fun video) ***we watched***
First few days (diagram)
Fetal development (very informative website) ***we explored***
Fetal development slideshow (WedMD)
Biology and ethics terms--
- trimester-- 12 week period -- pregnancy divided into three
- zygote -- fertilized egg
- embryo -- first few weeks after conception
- fetus -- 9+ weeks but often used more broadly
- implantation--burrowing into wall of uterus
- quickening (fetus moves, 15-20 weeks)
- viability (fetus can live independently of mother, 24-28 weeks)
- human -- belonging to our species
- human being -- whole individual belonging to our species
- person -- individual with dignity, rights; to kill an innocent person is normally murder
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We will discuss next week--
Roe v. Wade (1973)
- SC ruled that fetus is not a "legal person"--as that term is understood in the14th amendment
- SC withheld judgment about "when life begins"(in some looser sense)
- First trimester--states may not prohibit. Rationale: a woman's right to privacy takes priority
- Second trimester--states may not prohibit, but may regulate as needed to make abortion safer for patient. Rationale: there's a legitimate state interest in health
- Third trimester (after "viability")--states may prohibit, except when abortion is needed for maternal health. Rationale: there's a legitimate state interest in potential life
- parental notification laws
- 24 hour waiting periods
- other provisions not needed to protect maternal health
Abortion fact sheet
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