Christine -
You ask some really interesting questions. As is so often the case, the
conceptually easy milestone is not so easy when investigated in some
detail. That seems to be the case with identifying the fertilization
milestone as the beginning of life. [We can ignore, for the moment,
vertibrate life forms (lizards, chickens, sharks, for example)
which are born without the necessity of fertilization.]
Having thought some about this, and found some complicating
considerations, here are some of them that seem to me to be relevant to
a greater or lesser degree as these questions are wrestled with:
About half of the fertilized ova via in vitro fertilization do not
successfully implant. Some speculate that the survival rate is similar
for natural pregnancy, but this is disputed.* Without implantation - on
the order of a week after fertilization - no pregnancy results.
About 1/4 of fertilized eggs
abort naturally shortly after implantation (about half due to
chromosomal abnormalities).*
Up until about 2 weeks, more than
one individual may result from a single fertilization. (This is a
significant time demarcation for the UK medical community.)
About 1/3 of embryos which survive these early days (and the associated
attrition) are lost in the first trimester for this reason or other
(mostly external) factors.*
The first heart activity is detectable by EKG at about 18 days,
indicating the presence of the first semblance of blood, which in the
OT is related to the concept of life.
Similarly, the first
semblance of brain activity is detectable by EEG at about 40 days,
though the brain/nervous system is not complete until month 7 or 8.
At 25 weeks, the EEG detected activity is identifiably human in
character.
In the OT, infants are not counted in a census until 1 month old.
What is the situation with respect to the subject questions for an
ectopic pregnancy?
*according to "
The Good Egg", Discover,
May 2004.
Returning momentarily to the unfertilized egg, it contains by itself an
entire roadmap for an individual (clone of the mother). It has been
shown that an unfertilized egg can be stimulated to begin the normal(?)
division process that would presumeably lead to a viable embryo,
without the benefit of fertilization. So where is the line of
demarcation in this case between life and non-life, or our
conceptualization of the beginning of life perhaps weak? For instance,
one might argue from this observation that life is a continuum. How
would we deal with that?
It seems to me that any conjectures in response to your questions
should be capable of fitting somehow within the framework of these
findings. I'm not trying to be difficult, but you ask some challenging
questions which deserve some really well considered responses. I'm
looking forward to the offerings.
Blessings - JimA [Friend of ASA]
Christine Smith wrote:
Hi all,
On a different note than is usually discussed on this listserv, I've been pondering this question...
Following implantation in a mother's womb, an embryo essentially partakes of the same food & drink that the mother does, yes? This being the case, what does it mean, from a theological point of view, when an embryo or fetus partakes of Communion via the mother? From a Christian perspective, would this mark the beginning of spiritual life in some sense (if you're not already of the opinion that it begins at conception)? If so, how would this tie into the question of abo*rtion, and the question of eternal life for a baby that is lost through miscarriage?
Would be curious for your thoughts on these questions. Thanks!
In Christ,
Christine (ASA member)
"For we walk by faith, not by sight" ~II Corinthians 5:7
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Received on Tue Nov 4 17:01:54 2008