When Does Life Begin?

Scientists and medical texts agree that a new life begins at conception.  A. W. Liley, M.D. (world renowned Research Professor in Perinatal Physiology) has stated "biologically at no stage of development can we subscribe to the view that the unborn child is a mere appendage of the mother.  Genetically, the mother and baby are separate individuals from conception."

In its special issue The Drama of Life Before Birth, LIFE magazine states, "The birth of a human really occurs at the moment the mothers egg cell is fertilized by one of the father's sperm cells," that is, at conception. LIFE DOES NOT BEGIN AT BIRTH.  BIRTH IS ONLY A CHANGE IN THE PLACE OF RESIDENCE OF AN ALREADY-LIVING, ACTIVE PERSON.

Some say human life begins at birth.  But science tells us that long before then, even before the mother feels her unborn baby's movements within, the miniature infant wakes and sleeps, squirms about, squints, swallows, breathes fluid, hiccups, digests, hears, tries to cry, can feel pain, flexes his or her fingers, punches, kicks, and even sucks his or her thumb, or toes!

Most pregnancies are not even detected until the 6th week.  By then the baby's heart has been beating for three weeks, brain waves can be read, and the nervous system has been complete for about two weeks.  He or she is about to begin moving, although the mother will not feel it for another 3 1/2 months.

At conception a genetically unique individual begins life.  All of the characteristics he or she will have as an adult are already determined; including sex, eye color, skin pigmentation and intelligence potential. This new individual's life will consist of continually overlapping, progressive stages of growth and development from that instant through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age and death. All that is needed is nourishment and time to grow. LIFE DOES NOT BEGIN AT BIRTH. BIRTH IS ONLY A CHANGE IN THE PLACE OF RESIDENCE OF AN ALREADY-LIVING, ACTIVE PERSON.