ABORTION

  • all about beinning of human life.

-Abortion concerns a human being living in his or her mother’s womb.

-This human being is non-viable or still at the early fetal stage; he or she cannot yet survive outside the womb.

- It is an intentional removal of the fetus with the intent to kill or to do away with human life at its beginning.

The issue of abortion is the subject of lively and bitter debate in contemporary times, particularly between the two so-called pro-life and pro-choice camps.

Pro-life group: Against abortion.

Pro-choice group: Believes the continuation of pregnancy should be a personal decision for the mother

. The Vatican, in its Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, declared that life must be protected with utmost care from the moment of conception. A later Church document, Quaestio de Abortu (The Issue of Abortion), elaborated on this further. Scientific and Ethical Perspective on Conception Conception begins with the fertilization of an ovum by sperm, forming a unique genetic entity with its own DNA, distinct from the parents. This genetic individuality makes the fetus a human person from the moment of conception.

Theologian Tertullian (ca. 155–220 C.E.) argued: "The one who will be human is already one, or it would never be made human if it were not human already." This principle underscores the philosophical idea that action follows being (agere sequitur esse). Thus, the fertilized ovum must already be a human person.

Two stages of pregnancy

  • Conception- Start of pregnancy with the fertilization of the ovum by the sperm occuring in the fallopian tube.

  • Nidation- ( from the Latin word nidus, or nest) the attachment of the early embryo to the lining of the womb happening within two weeks from conception.

    Justifications for Abortion and the Church’s Stance Pro-abortionists have identified four main reasons for justifying abortion, addressed by Pope Pius XII and Church documents:

Eugenic Indication: Fear of the child being abnormal or mentally disabled.

Social/Economic Indication: The financial burden of having an additional child.

Moral/Ethical Indication: Concerns about honor, dishonor, or social standing.

Medical/Therapeutic Indication: Serious health concerns for the mother or life-threatening conditions.

The Church opposes these justifications, emphasizing the sanctity of life from conception and the moral responsibility of parents to care for their children.