Proof that Life Begins at Fertilization

It is well-known and well-established from science that life begins at fertilization. A new human individual comes into being when a human sperm and human egg fuse. This is no secret. There is no controversy in scientific circles. It's at least as established as the theory of gravity.

But you don't have to take my word for it. Here is an article with 41 quotes from scientific sources that show this scientific consensus on the topic. And if you don't believe these, you're welcome to speak to any biologist or embryologist or read any human anatomy or embryology text for yourself. Even better, you could study these subjects, get a degree and become an expert on the topic. No matter how deep you decide to dig, you'll come to the same conclusion. It's not difficult at all to determine when life begins. It's already been done. It's been verified many, many times. It's a simple fact that life begins at fertilization.

Here are some of the quotes from the article:

“Fertilization is the process by which male and female haploid gametes (sperm and egg) unite to produce a genetically distinct individual.”

Signorelli et al., Kinases, phosphatases and proteases during sperm capacitation, CELL TISSUE RES. 349(3):765 (Mar. 20, 2012).

“Human life begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm (spermatozoon development) unites with a female gamete or oocyte (ovum) to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marked the beginning of each of us as a unique individual.” “A zygote is the beginning of a new human being (i.e., an embryo).”

Keith L. Moore, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 7th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 2003. pp. 16, 2.

“It is the penetration of the ovum by a sperm and the resulting mingling of nuclear material each brings to the union that constitutes the initiation of the life of a new individual.”

Clark Edward and  Corliss Patten’s Human Embryology, McGraw – Hill Inc., 30.

“The zygote is human life….there is one fact that no one can deny; Human beings begin at conception.”

Landrum B. Shettles, “Rites of Life: The Scientific Evidence for Life Before Birth” Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1983 p 40. (Landrum Shettles was the first scientist to successfully complete an in vitro fertilization.)

“[All] organisms, however large and complex they might be as full grown, begin life as a single cell. This is true for the human being, for instance, who begins life as a fertilized ovum.”

Dr. Morris Krieger “The Human Reproductive System” p 88 (1969) Sterling Pub. Co.

“The first cell of a new and unique human life begins existence at the moment of conception (fertilization) when one living sperm from the father joins with one living ovum from the mother. It is in this manner that human life passes from one generation to another. Given the appropriate environment and genetic composition, the single cell subsequently gives rise to trillions of specialized and integrated cells that compose the structures and functions of each individual human body. Every human being alive today and, as far as is known scientifically, every human being that ever existed, began his or her unique existence in this manner, i.e., as one cell. If this first cell or any subsequent configuration of cells perishes, the individual dies, ceasing to exist in matter as a living being. There are no known exceptions to this rule in the field of human biology.”

James Bopp, ed., Human Life and Health Care Ethics, vol. 2 (Frederick, MD: University Publications of America, 1985).

“Each human begins life as a combination of two cells, a female ovum and a much smaller male sperm. This tiny unit, no bigger than a period on this page, contains all the information needed to enable it to grow into the complex …structure of the human body. The mother has only to provide nutrition and protection.”

Clark, J. ed., The Nervous System: Circuits of Communication in the Human Body, Torstar Books Inc., Toronto, 1985, page 99.


These are just a few of the many, many such quotes from scientists and medical professionals that affirm that fertilization marks the beginning of a new human life. This is well-known fact that no biologist contests.

The ONLY reason remaining for doubting this obvious fact is that people don't like it. They don't want to believe it. Why? Perhaps they don't want to have to face the fact that abortion kills a human individual. If they can stick their heads in the sand and pretend they don't know when life begins, they can keep their position that abortion is okay. I can't think of any other reason.

Amazing Photos that Show the Humanity of the Unborn

 

This picture shows an ultrasound of my nephew, Kyler, in the womb compared to a picture of him at about a year old. The similarity is amazing! His distinctive facial features were already present, long before he was born.

 

Of course, scientifically speaking, that isn't really so surprising. After all, his genetic blueprint has been there since he was a zygote. Yes, Kyler was a zygote, then he was an embryo, then he was fetus, then he was a neonate, and now he is a toddler. But going through different stages of development didn't change who he is. He was the same person before and after birth. Birth didn't change who he was. It only changed his location.

 

This example is just one of many that demonstrates the humanity of children in the womb. We are all distinct and unique human individuals from conception onward.

 

If it would be wrong to kill Kyler now (and it is), it would also have been wrong to kill him in some earlier stage of development. That previous stage was the same child, just a little younger. It was still Kyler.

 

The arguments that are often given for abortion don't hold up when you consider this simple fact - that the child who is born is the same child that was in the womb. It's the same person.

So if it would NOT be okay to kill a toddler because of these reasons:

 

• his mother's life is difficult
• he is unloved
• he'll grow up poor or abused
• his mother was raped
• he's a burden on his mother
• he has a physical deformity
• his parents are closely related
• his mother isn't ready to be a mother right now

Then it is NOT okay to kill that same child when he's younger and still in the womb for those reasons either.

It's really very simple. Abortion is not okay. Abortion is wrong. It's the killing of a defenseless human child. No excuses or sad stories about the mother make it okay to kill the child.

Republicans Drop Bill to Protect Unborn Children After 20 Weeks

The Republican party suddenly and incomprensibly just scuttled a bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks gestation. The bill was known as the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The vote was scheduled for today.

The bill had a lot of momentum and around a 60% approval rating from the people. Most people, even those who are mostly pro-choice, agree that killing babies that can feel pain and that can survive outside the womb is not okay. Republicans have a majority in both the House and the Senate, so there should easily be enough votes to pass this legislation, even if no Democrats vote for it.

So, why did they scuttle the bill? The official explanation is that it was "controversial" and they didn't think they had the votes. If I was a swearing person, this is where I would insert it. That's absolutely a bold-faced lie and a pitiful excuse all wrapped into one.

Ok, if a Republican majority in both houses can't or won't pass even something as non-controversial as this (most Americans agree with limiting late-term abortions) and as necessary as this (protecting the inalienable rights of an entire persecuted group of people), then we all have to leave the GOP and pick a new party to bring to power. This is the last straw!

We've been patient with the GOP and hoped they were actually going to do something this time. We accepted their past excuses of not having enough power to do anything yet. That's all over. They have the power and they're making it clear that they have no real intentions of doing anything good with it. They aren't representing us. They have no moral compass. They're spineless cowards who only say what they think we want to hear and then do nothing for fear of having someone get mad. It's time to move on.