For simplictiy the term used should be 'human.'
Everyone understands what a human is, and there is no question that an embryo/fetus/baby is a human. It's a scientific certainty.
I'm picky about the meaning of words also. From conception to week 8 it's called an embryo. From week 9 until birth it's called a fetus. From birth until age 2 it's a baby (a bit longer for liberals) Just use the scientific terms that we all understand and don't cloud the issues.
In normal discourse we stick with english. Fetus is latin for baby.
I don't care what stage of development it's in, it's a baby human being.
From week 9 until birth it's called a fetus. From birth until age 2 it's a baby
So what do you call it when it's halfway out...a human being or a disposable lump of tissue?... it that border an your position relative to it what defines who is an is not human being, Legally? Scientifically? Morally?
The issue under debate however, is broader than science. I am a scientist, but I have no problem with common terminology. Most pregnant women, upon becoming aware of their pregnancy, refer to it thereafter as their "baby".
And every moment since it became a zygote, whatever the word we choose to define it, it has been a living human entity, unceasingly exhibiting the defining characteristics of a living organism, namely spontaneous, self-directed change and growth.
I thought fetus was just latin for unborn child, as in fetus adoleo, unborn child sacrifice.