So the 22 week old *object* that is delivered and put in NICU is what then? Is it a baby? Is it a *fetus*? Is it human or not?
“So the 22 week old *object* that is delivered and put in NICU is what then? Is it a baby? Is it a *fetus*? Is it human or not?”
22-week preemies surviving outside the womb are exceedingly rare, even with modern medical technology. I did see a story about a 21-week preemie who survived for a year, albeit after experiencing severe problems. It was a black baby. Apparently, black preemies have a much better chance of survival than white preemies...something I find interesting..blacks develop faster in the womb, apparently. Although we make medical laws based on the average and not the 1 in a million miracle, I would not object to immediately moving the cutoff back to 18-20 weeks and perhaps further as medical science progresses. Of course, this leads us down the path of eventually reaching the point where a human mother’s womb is no longer necessary. We’ll be able to grow fetuses in artificial wombs...cloning...eugenics...made-to-order babies...The Island. That’s a whole ‘nother can of worms right there...