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Articles on Fetus

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Attendees pray during a worship service at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Anaheim, California, on June 14, 2022. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

The history of Southern Baptists shows they have not always opposed abortion

A scholar writes about how the Southern Baptist Convention’s views on abortion changed during the 1980s, when a more conservative wing seized control of the denomination.
A man holds a sign that reads ‘Hands Off Roe!!!’ as abortion rights advocates and anti-abortion protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in December 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

U.S. abortion bans compel women to be not just Good Samaritans, but ‘splendid’ ones

50 years ago, a noted U.S. philosopher argued that banning abortion forces women to go above and beyond to help an unborn fetus. What other individual rights are at stake if Roe v Wade is overturned?
Two women hold mock pro-life signs in what they call an ‘Abortrait room’ at the Satanic Temple’s headquarters to protest abortion laws. Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty images

How the Satanic Temple is using ‘abortion rituals’ to claim religious liberty against the Texas’ ‘heartbeat bill’

The Satanic Temple, a nontheistic group, is invoking the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to challenge Texas’ new anti-abortion law.
Science can observe these various phases of fetal development but cannot determine when human life begins. UrsaHoogle/E+ via Getty Images

Defining when human life begins is not a question science can answer – it’s a question of politics and ethical values

Some people seeking to influence public opinion about abortion rights claim the science is clear. It’s not, and that means abortion remains a political question – not a biological one.
During pregnancy, the body’s specialized immune cells must learn to recognize the fetus as part of the self so that they don’t attack it. Raja Segar via Wikimedia Commons

Specialized cells maintain healthy pregnancy by teaching the mother’s immune system not to attack developing fetus

How the immune system learns not to attack a developing fetus and placenta is important to understanding pregnancy and its common complications, like miscarriage.
Her deep breath has to get to the baby. electravk/Moment via Getty Images

How does a baby ‘breathe’ while inside its mom?

A fetus needs oxygen long before its lungs work and it’s exposed to the air. Some ingenious biochemistry explains how the mother’s blood delivers it.
Research reveals two strategies women can use to lower the risks of stillbirth: counting kicks, and sleeping on their left side. (Shutterstock)

Sleeping on your back increases risks of stillbirth

Research suggests that sleeping on your back can increase the chances of stillbirth. Pregnant women need better access to such vital information.

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