Debating Abortion & Asking the Question: When does life begin?
This essay was inspired after watching an episode of “Surrounded” on YouTube. Note to you all, go look up this show – it is incredibly good. Lila Rose, a pro-lifer of the group Live Action was ‘surrounded’ by 25 pro-choice women, all of whom were there to debate. It was emotive. It was interesting. It was inspiring.
Few topics spark heated debate, political discussions, and emotionally charged reactions than abortion. People’s views are shaped by a combination of individual experiences, and their own ideals and beliefs. Their views may not be shaped by the facts as is often the case. At the centre of the abortion debate is a question that some may call simple while others will not.
That question is, “when does the new life begin?” That is the starting block for this essay and let’s face it, if we all agreed on that, life, and this debate would be a lot less complicated. But the reality is, the answer depends on 2 things. Who you ask, and what you define as life.
The Challenge of Defining Life
The central issue of when life begins, could be one question or it could be many.
- When does biological life begin?
- When does conscious life begin?
- When does personhood begin?
- When does moral status begin?
- When does legal protection begin?
While biology alone cannot identify moral or legal conclusions to the question, we should realise that the answer is complex. Diverse groups of people will answer these questions differently using contradictory responses. They will also add in their own values, priorities, and interpretations which can make the responses and answers even more complex.
For me, the answer of when new life begins is simple. There is one answer only. New life begins at conception – the moment a unique new life begins to form, a new life that has the DNA to grow into a new human.
Why is the debate about abortion such a complex one?
The debate on abortion tends to focus on two major aspects.
- Protecting life (especially vulnerable life).
- Protecting personal freedom and bodily autonomy.
Almost everyone agrees these two things matter. Here’s where things get tricky. During pregnancy, both above points collide. The pregnant individual, the mother, is a person with rights, emotions, needs and set of circumstances in life. The life inside her, the baby, also is a person with the right to life.
The question becomes: How do we balance the two? That is where the disagreement begins.
The View That New Life Begins Early—Sometimes at Conception
A lot of people, I am one of them, believe that new life begins at conception. You are going to ask me why, so I am going to justify my answer for you.
- When the sperm and egg combine, a unique human organism begins formation.
- The new life has DNA at conception and is an individual, like no other.
- All life, at whatever level, deserves protection.
- Abortion is morally wrong except in extremely rare circumstances such as the life of the mother being in danger.
While these thoughts and perspectives are often rooted in religion, it is not with me. I am not a religious person. A life is a life. It is that simple. A life deserves protection. A human life is a human life, no matter how small.
We could argue, and some do, that life begins when the moral status of the new life begins. But when is that, and how do we decide? Biology tells you developmental answers but as for a “full rights” answer, that belongs in the theological camp.
The View That Life Gradually Develops Its Moral Meaning
There will be some that argue that the new life is not a human in the first stages. The arguments may be:
- The new life in the early stage doesn’t have a brain, nervous system, or consciousness.
- There is a chance that some pregnancies end naturally before a woman even knows she’s pregnant.
- Moral status might develop gradually as the new life grows more complex features
These ideals tend to be used as morals for the reasoning that early abortions carry less weight. It does not claim that the new life lacks moral significance, only that its moral weight has not yet increased. The comparison to this is end of life criteria. When brain function stops, a person is declared dead, both medically and in a legal sense. Should that be applied to the start of life too? Just a question to think about.
The Autonomy Perspective: It’s the Pregnant Woman’s Body
Some arguments focus on the bodily autonomy aspect. Such points raised maybe:
- Even if the new life is considered a person, that doesn’t automatically mean the mother is required to physically support its life.
- Pregnancy demands a huge amount of the mother—bodily changes, medical risks, emotional and financial pressures.
- Forcing someone to stay pregnant against their will is a major violation of autonomy.
- The circumstances of conception of the new life may mean that the mother does not want to keep it.
People with these arguments usually see abortion as a matter of freedom and healthcare. Their priority and wellbeing overrule that of the new life, no matter any argument or circumstance.
Science Doesn’t Give Just One Answer
There will be those who will want and expect science to have the determinate answer to the question of when life begins. But it doesn’t work that way. Science will happily relay what happened at different points of pregnancy but as for the moral issues, that is a more complex response.
Science will tell you that a unique human genome forms at fertilisation. This is when development begins. Science will also tell you that implantation is when the new life attaches to the uterus (6–10 days.) Science can also tell you that early brain activity starts in the new life at just under 6 weeks. Sentience is defined as 24 weeks. A time when the new life has the neurological formations that bring pain perception and consciousness. Science will tell you that viability is 22-25 weeks, a time when a new life has a chance of survival outside of the mother. These ‘guidelines’ are changing as medical advancement improves chances for new life to be sustained.
There will be those that define birth as when full rights of a new life begin. Why? Because they are independent of the mother’s body. But are they? The new life needs a mother’s milk for feeding. The new life needs a mother’s help to manage their basic needs.
The Law: A Reflection of Society’s Mixed Feelings
Laws about abortion differ dramatically from one country to another, one state to another, largely because people disagree on which values matter most. Some places ban abortion entirely. Other places allow abortion with gestational limits.
Many countries use viability (around 24 weeks) as the dividing line. Early abortions are generally accessible; later ones require stronger justification. In Queensland, an abortion can be carried out up to 22 weeks, even beyond if Drs consider it necessary. Some places leave the decision almost entirely to the pregnant person. When you look at these ideals, birth is the legal marker of personhood.
Why There Will Probably Never Be One Universal Answer
The reason people disagree so strongly is not just that they have different values—it is that “life” itself can mean different things. Various aspects of life start at separate times.
- Biological life (cells growing and dividing) starts at conception or even before.
- Moral life (being a person with rights) depends on philosophical beliefs.
- Legal life often begins at birth.
- Religious life depends on doctrines like ensoulment.
Ethics, philosophy, and individual opinions pave the way for answers, but each answer will be different.
Moving the Conversation Forward
Even though the abortion debate can be exhausting, there are ways to make the discussion more positive:
- Having the conversation in the first place is the most crucial step. There is a great deal of misinformation surrounding abortion, and sharing correct information while encouraging people to become better informed is a positive and necessary thing
- Realising that people have deeply held morals that should be considered and respected.
- Encourage people to realise the complexity of responses instead of assuming that simple answers are always the right ones.
- Remember that people facing pregnancy decisions often experience fear, confusion, grief, or pressure.
- Encourage people to talk with space for reasoning and compassion. Not to be so presumptive.
- Encourage safe spaces for debate and discussion so that no one feels threatened.
The abortion debate is not going away anytime soon, but conversations can become more humane when we assume good intentions and recognise the genuine weight of the issue.
My opinion?
My thought had always been that abortion should be safe and rare. I was pro-choice, all for a woman’s right to choose. After watching a documentary about abortion in which Drs who had performed abortions talked of their work, my views changed. I heard many horror stories, I saw the Drs in tears and unable to stay in the job, and it changed my views.
I do appreciate that abortions will happen, but I do think it should be in the case of a potentially fatal risk to the mother. I have read about abortions being used as a form of contraception and I disagree with that.
Life begins at conception. I am proud to say I am pro-life.
