Life's A Blessing

 

 

PRO-LIFE INFO & FACTS

Delaware Abortion Statistics   Physical Risks from Abortion   Scientific Definitions

Delaware Abortion Facts from "Delaware Right to Life"

 

Source of these statistics is from the Centers for Disease Control and Alan Guttmacher Institute and reflect the year for which they are most recently available - 2003

 

Physical Risks from Abortion

HEMORRHAGE:  Sometimes women bleed heavily during an abortion or a few days afterwards.  With a medical abortion (RU-486) bleeding lasts 13–15 days or more.  Occasionally it is necessary to receive a transfusion to replace the lost blood.  Sometimes a second curettage procedure or a hysterectomy is needed to stop the bleeding.

INFECTION:  The uterus is susceptible to infection right after an abortion especially if part of the baby or placenta is accidentally left inside of you.  Infections are even more of a risk if you have Chlamydia or Gonorrhea.  Symptoms are pain and fever.  This is generally treated with antibiotics but sometimes another curettage procedure must be used.  If untreated, a very serious infection can develop and could result in infertility.

PERFORATION:  Sometimes the tools of abortion are accidentally pushed through the wall of the uterus during an abortion.  If the instrument damages one of your internal organs, it may be necessary to do major surgery to repair the damage.  This complication can cause extensive bleeding. 

EFFECTS ON LATER PREGNANCY:  Injury to the cervix may cause the early loss of a later wanted pregnancy.  Scarring, which blocks your fallopian tubes, may also occur.  This can keep you from becoming pregnant in the future.  The risk of miscarriage in later pregnancies is higher if a woman has had two or more abortions.

CONTINUED PREGNANCY: The fetus may be growing in your fallopian tube rather than in your uterus.  An abortion procedure would miss this.  The continued growth of the fetus in your tube is dangerous and potentially fatal. 

BREAST CANCER:  A number of scientific studies show a link between abortion and breast cancer. 

DEATH: Death has occurred after abortion, although this is rare.  When abortion is done after the first three months of pregnancy, the risk of death increases.  The cause of death by abortion is usually from heavy bleeding or from complications with the drugs used for pain.

Source: Frontlines Publishing, 72 Ransom Avenue N.E., Grand Rapids, MI 48503

 

Scientific Definitions from Scientific Sources -- Captions

 

Scientific Definitions from Scientific Sources

■ “A zygote is the beginning of a new human being (i.e., an embryo). (p. 2) Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm ... unites with a female gamete or oocyte ... to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marks the beginning of each of us as a unique individual.” 

SOURCE:  Keith Moore and T. V. N. Persaud, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 6th ed. only.”  (Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 1998), p. 18.

 ■ “...Coalescence of homologous chromosomes, resulting in a one-cell embryo.... The zygote is characteristic of the last phase of fertilization and is identified by the first cleavage spindle.  It is a unicellular embryo and is a highly specialized cell. (p. 33) ... It is now accepted that the word embryo, as currently used in human embryology, means  'an unborn human in the first 8 weeks'  from fertilization.”

SOURCE:  Ronan O'Rahilly and Fabiola Muller, Human Embryology & Teratology , (New York: Wiley-Liss, 2001), p. 87.

  ■“... The term 'pre-embryo' is not used here for the following reasons: (1) it is ill-defined because it is said to end with the appearance of the primitive streak or to include neurulation; (2) it is inaccurate because purely embryonic cells can already be distinguished after a few days, as can also the embryonic [not pre-embryonic!] disc; (3) it is unjustified because the accepted meaning of the word embryo includes all of the first 8 weeks; (4) it is equivocal because it may convey the erroneous idea that a new human organism is formed at only some considerable time after fertilization; and (5) it was introduced in 1986 'largely for public policy reasons'(Biggers). ... Just as postnatal age begins at birth, prenatal age begins at fertilization." (p. 88)

SOURCE:  “O'Rahilly and Muller, Human Embryology & Teratology (New York: Wiley-Liss, 2001)

■ “Sutton and Boveri declared independently in 1902 that the behavior of chromosomes during germ cell formation and fertilization agreed with Mendel's principles of inheritance.  In the same year, Garrod reported alcaptonuria as the first example of mendelian inheritance in human beings. Many consider Garrod  to be the Father of Medical Genetics. It was soon realized that the zygote contains all the genetic information necessary for directing the  development of a new human being. (p. 12) ... Human development is a continuous process that begins when an oocyte (ovum) from a female is fertilized by a sperm (or spermatozoon) from a male. (p. 2); ... but the embryo begins to develop as soon as the oocyte is fertilized. (p. 2); ... Zygote: this cell results from the union of an oocyte and a sperm. A zygote is the beginning of a new human being (i.e., an embryo). (p. 2); ... Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm ... unites with a female gamete or oocyte ... to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marks the beginning of each of us as a unique individual. (p. 18) ... The usual site of fertilization is the ampulla of the uterine tube [fallopian tube], its longest and widest part. If the oocyte is not fertilized here, it slowly passes along the tube to the uterus, where it degenerates and is resorbed. Although fertilization may occur in other parts of the tube, it does not occur in the uterus.... Human development begins when an oocyte is fertilized. Fertilization ... begins with contact between a sperm and an oocute and ends with the intermingling of maternal and paternal chromosomes ... of the zygote, a unicellular embryo. (p. 34) ... The zygote is genetically unique because half of its chromosomes come from the mother and half from the father. The zygote contains a new combination of chromosomes that is different from that in the cells of either of the parents. This mechanism forms the basis of biparental inheritance and variation of the human species. Meiosis allows independent assortment of maternal and paternal chromosomes among the germ cells. ... The embryo's chromosomes sex is determined at fertilization by the kind of sperm (S or Y) that fertilizes the ovum; hence it is the father rather than the mother whose gamete determines the sex of the embryo” (p. 37).

SOURCE:  KEITH MOORE AND T.V.N. PERSAUD, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology, 6th ed. only, (Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 1998), pages 18, 34 and  37. 

■ “Human pregnancy begins with the fusion of an egg and a sperm. (p. 3) ... finally, the fertilized egg, now properly called an embryo, must make its way into the uterus (p. 3); ... The sex of the future embryo is determined by the chromosomal complement of the spermatozoon ... Through the mingling of maternal and paternal chromosomes, the zygote is a genetically unique product of chromosomal reassortment .. (p. 31); ...After the eighth week of pregnancy the period of organogenesis (embryonic period) is largely completed and the fetal period begins.” (p. 407)

SOURCE:   BRUCE M. CARLSON, Human Embryology and Developmental Biology,  (St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 1994).

 ■ "Human pregnancy begins with the fusion of an egg and a sperm, but a great deal of preparation precedes this event.  First both male and female sex cells must pass  through a long series of changes (gametogenesis) that convert them genetically and phenotypically into mature gametes, which are capable of participating in the process of fertilization. Next, the gametes must be released from the gonads and make their way to the upper part of the uterine tube, where fertilization normally takes place.... Finally, the fertilized egg, now properly called an embryo, must make its way into the uterus ..." (p. 2); ... Fertilization age: dates the age of the embryo from the time of fertilization. (p. 23) ... In the female, sperm transport begins in the upper vagina and ends in the ampulla of the uterine tube [fallopian tube] where the spermatozoa make contact with the ovulated egg. (p. 27) ... After the eighth week of pregnancy the period of organogenesis embryonic period) is largely completed, and the fetal period begins." (p. 447). ... The sex of the future embryo is determined by the chromosomal complement of the spermatozoon. (If the sperm contains 22 autosomes and an X chromosome, the embryo will be a genetic female, and if it contains 22 autosomes and a Y chromosome, the embryo will be a male.) ... Through the mingling of maternal and paternal chromosomes, the zygote is a genetically unique product of chromosomal reassortment, which is important for the viability of any species.” (p. 32).

SOURCE:   BRUCE  M. CARLSON, Human Embryology & Developmental Biology (St. Louis, MO: Mosby), 1999.

■ ”In this text, we begin our description of the developing human with the formation and differentiation of the male and female sex cells or gametes, which will unite at fertilization to initiate the embryonic development of a new individual. ... Fertilization takes place in the oviduct [not the uterus]... resulting in the formation of a zygote containing a single diploid nucleus. Embryonic development is considered to begin at this point. (p. 1); ... These pronuclei fuse with each other to produce the single, diploid, 2N nucleus of the fertilized zygote. This moment of zygote formation may be taken as the beginning or zero time point of embryonic development.”  (p. 17).

SOURCE:  WILLIAM J. LARSEN, Human Embryology (New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1997).

■ “Fertilization is an important landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new, genetically distinct human organism is thereby formed. (p. 5); ... Fertilization is the procession of events that begins when a spermatozoon  makes contact with a secondary oocyte or its investments ... (p. 19); ... The zygote ... is a unicellular embryo. (p. 19); ... Thus the diploid number [in the zygote] is restored and the embryonic genome is formed. The embryo now exists as a genetic unity. (p. 20); ... ... The embryo enters the uterine cavity after half a week, when probably at least 8-12 cells are present. (p. 23); ... The embryonic period proper ... occupies the first 8  postovulatory weeks (i.e., timed from the last ovulation) ... The fetal period extends from 8 weeks to birth. (p. 55); ...”

SOURCE:  RONAN  O'RAHILLY AND FABIOLA  MULLER,  Human Embryology & Teratology (New York: Wiley-Liss, 1994).

■ “Although life is a continuous process, fertilization ... is a critical landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new, genetically distinct human organism is formed when the chromosomes of the male and female pronuclei blend in the oocyte. This remains true even though the embryonic genome is not actually activated until 2-8 cells are present at about 2-3 days. ... During the embryonic period proper, milestones include fertilization, activation of embryonic from extra-embryonic cells, implantation, and the appearance of the primitive streak and bilateral symmetry. ... Fertilization is the procession of events that begins when a spermatozoon makes contact with a secondary oocyte or its investments, and ends with the intermingling of maternal and paternal chromosomes at metaphase of the first mitotic division of the zygote. ... Fertilization takes place normally in the ampulla (lateral end) of the uterine tube. (p. 31); ... [Events or phases of fertilization]: ... #12.  Two pronuclei, which migrate to a central position in the ootid. #13. Coalescence of homologous chromosomes, resulting in a one-cell embryo. The two pronuclei do not fuse but their nuclear envelopes break down and form vesicles. The two groups of homologous chromosomes then move together and become arranged on the first cleavage spindle.  [ i.e., the embryo begins before syngamy.]  #14. The beginning of the first mitotic division of the zygote. The zygote is characteristic of the last phase of fertilization and is identified by the first cleavage spindle. It is a unicellular embryo and is a highly specialized cell. The combination of 23 chromosomes present in each pronucleus results in 46 chromosomes in the zygote. Thus the diploid number is restored and the embryonic genome is formed. The embryo now exists as a genetic unity. Items 12-14 in the list above have traditionally been regarded as constituting developmental stage 1. (p. 33); ... Prenatal life is conveniently divided into two phases: the embryonic and the fetal. ... [I]t is now accepted that the word embryo, as currently used in human embryology, means 'an unborn human in the first 8 weeks' from fertilization. Embryonic life begins with the formation of a new embryonic genome [slightly prior to its activation].” (p. 87)

SOURCE:   RONAN O'RAHILLY AND FABIOLA MULLER, Human
Embryology & Teratology, 3rd  ed, (New York, Wiley-Liss, 2001)

■ “The moment a sperm penetrates the egg's zona pellucida, a reaction in the egg fuses the zona and the perivitelline membrane into an impermeable shield that prevents other sperm from entering. ... Propelled by contractions of the fallopian tube, the dividing embryo begins its three- or four-day journey back to the uterus and continues to divide after it reaches the uterus. [The fertilization process occurs near the middle of the fallopian tube -- not in the uterus.]”  (p. 18).

SOURCE:  Geoffrey Sher, Virginia Marriage Davis, Jean Stoess, “In Vitro Fertilization: The A.R.T. of Making Babies” (New York: Facts On File, 1998)

■ “A form of animal cloning can also occur as a result of artificial manipulation to bring about a type of asexual reproduction. The genetic manipulation in this case uses nuclear transfer technology: a nucleus is removed from a donor cell then transplanted into an oocyte whose own nucleus has previously been removed. ... Nuclear transfer technology was first employed in embryo cloning, in which the donor cell is derived from an early embryo, and has been long established in the case of amphibia. ... Wilmut et al (1997) reported successful cloning of an adult sheep.  For the first time, an adult nucleus had been reprogrammed to become totipotent once more, just like the genetic material in the fertilized oocyte from which the donor cell had ultimately developed.... Successful cloning of adult animals has forced us to accept that genome modifications once considered irreversible can be reversed and that the genomes of adult cells can be reprogrammed by factors in the oocyte to make them totipotent once again.” (pp. 508-509).

SOURCE:  TOM  STRACHAN and ANDREW  P. READ, Human Molecular Genetics 2 (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1999).

■ "Of the experimental techniques used to demonstrate regulative properties of early embryos, the simplest is to separate the blastomeres of early cleavage-stage embryos and determine whether each one can give rise to an entire embryo. This method has been used to demonstrate that single blastomeres, from two- and sometimes four-cell embryos can form normal embryos, ... " (p. 44); " ... Some types of twinning represent a natural experiment that demonstrates the highly regulative nature of early human embryos, ..." (p. 48); "... Monozygotic twins and some triplets, on the other hand, are the product of one fertilized egg. They arise by the subdivision and splitting of a single embryo. Although monozygotic twins could ... arise by the splitting of a two-cell embryo, it is commonly accepted that most arise by the subdivision of the inner cell mass in a blastocyst. Because the majority of monozygotic twins are perfectly normal, the early human embryo can obviously be subdivided and each component regulated to form a normal embryo." (p. 49) [Carlson 1999].
 "If the splitting occurred during cleavage -- for example, if the two blastomeres produced by the first cleavage division become separated -- the monozygotic twin blastomeres will implant separately, like dizygotic twin blastomeres, and will not share fetal membranes. Alternatively, if the twins are formed by splitting of the inner cell mass within the blastocyst, they will occupy the same chorion but will be enclosed by separate amnions and will use separate placentae, each placenta developing around the connecting stalk of its respective embryo. Finally, if the twins are formed by splitting of a bilaminar germ disc, they will occupy the same amnion." (p. 325) [Larsen 1998].
      "Another means of demonstrating the regulative properties of early mammalian embryos is to dissociate mouse embryos into separate blastomeres and then to combine the blastomeres of two or three embryos. The combined blastomeres soon aggregate and reorganize to become a single large embryo, which then goes on to become a normal-appearing tetraparental or hexaparental mouse. By various techniques of making chimeric embryos, it is even possible to combine blastomeres to produce interspecies chimeras (e.g., a sheep-goat)." (p. 45); "... The relationship between the position of the blastomeres and their ultimate developmental fate was incorporated into the inside-outside hypothesis. The outer blastomeres ultimately differentiate into the trophoblast, whereas the inner blastomeres form the inner cell mass, from which the body of the embryo arises. Although this hypothesis has been supported by a variety of experiments, the mechanisms by which the blastomeres recognize their positions and then differentiate accordingly have remained elusive and are still little understood. If marked blastomeres from disaggregated embryos are placed on the outside of another early embryo, they typically contribute to the formation of the trophoblast. Conversely, if the same marked cells are introduced into the interior of the host embryo, they participate in formation of the inner cell mass. Outer cells in the early mammalian embryo are linked by tight and gap junctions ... Experiments of this type demonstrate that the developmental potential or potency (the types of cells that a precursor cell can form) of many cells is greater than their normal developmental fate (the types of cells that a precursor cell normally forms)." (p. 45); " ... Classic strategies for investigating developmental properties of embryos are (1) removing a part and determining the way the remainder of the embryo compensates for the loss (such experiments are called deletion experiments) and (2) adding a part and determining the way the embryo integrates the added material into its overall body plan (such experiments are called addition experiments). Although some deletion experiments have been done, the strategy of addition experiments has proved to be most fruitful in elucidating mechanisms controlling mammalian embryogenesis." (p. 46). [Carlson 1999]

SOURCE:  TOM STRACHAN and ANDREW P. READ, Human Molecular Genetics 2 (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1999).

■ National Institutes of Health, Office of Science Planning and Policy, "CLONING: Present Uses and Promises", April 27, 1998):
 http://www1.od.nih.gov/osp/ospp/scipol/cloning.htm: "Cloning and somatic cell nuclear transfer are not synonymous. Cloning is the production of a precise genetic copy of DNA, a cell, or an individual plant or animal. Cloning can be successfully accomplished by using a number of different technologies. Somatic cell nuclear transfer is one specific technology that can be used for cloning." See also: Australia, The Cloning of Humans (Prevention) Bill 2001 (Queensland): "Cloning can occur naturally in the asexual reproduction of plants, the formation of identical twins and the multiplication of cells in the natural process of repair. The cloning of DNA, cells, tissues, organs and whole individuals is also achievable with artificial technologies. ... The cloning of a cell or an individual may be achieved through a number of techniques, including: molecular cloning ..., blastomere separation (sometimes called "twinning" after the naturally occurring process that creates identical twins): splitting a developing embryo soon after fertilisation of the egg by a sperm (sexual reproduction) to give rise to two or more embryos. The resulting organisms are identical twins (clones) containing DNA from both the mother and the father. ... somatic cell nuclear transfer: the transfer of the nucleus of a somatic cell into an unfertilised egg whose nucleus, and thus its genetic material, has been removed. A number of scientific review bodies have noted that the term "cloning" is applicable in various contexts, as a result of the development of a range of cloning techniques with varying applications", at: http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Parlib/Publications_pdfs/books/2001036.pdf.

■ “Gametogenesis is the production of germ cells (gametes), i.e., spermatozoa and oocytes ... The gametes are believed to arise by successive divisions from a distinct line of cells (the germ plasm), and the cells that are not directly concerned with gametogenesis are termed somatic ... The 46 human chromosomes consist of 44 autosomes and two sex chromosomes: X and Y. In the male the sex chromosomes are XY; in the female they are XX. Phenotypic sex is normally determined by the presence or absence of a Y chromosome. ... During the differentiation of gametes, diploid cells are termed primary, and haploid cells are called secondary, e.g., secondary oocyte. Diploid refers to the presence of two sets of homologous chromosomes: 23 pairs, making a total of 46. This is characteristic of somatic and primordial germ cells alike. Haploid is used for a single set of 23 chromosomes, as in gametes. (p. 19)

SOURCE:  RONAN O'RAHILLY AND FABIOLA MULLER, Human Embryology & Teratology, 3rd ed., (New York: Wiley-Liss, 2001).

■ “A subset of the diploid body cells constitute the germ line. These give rise to specialized diploid cells in the ovary and testis that can divide by meiosis to produce haploid gametes (sperm and egg). ... The other cells of the body, apart from the germ line, are known as somatic cells ... most somatic cells are diploid ...” (p. 28)

SOURCE:  KEITH MOORE AND T.V.N. PERSAUD, The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology (6th ed. only).

■ “The embryo enters the uterine cavity after half a week, when probably at least 8-12 cells are present and when the endometrium is early in its secretory phase (which corresponds to the luteal phase of the ovarian cycle). Each cell (blastomere) is considered to be still totipotent (capable, on isolation, of forming a complete embryo), and separations of these early cells is believed to account for one-third of cases of monozygotic twinning.”

SOURCE:   Ronan O'Rahilly and Fabiola Muller, Human Embryology & Teratology (New York: Wiley-Liss, 1994): ... (p. 23)

■... Mammalian embryogenesis is considered to be a highly regulative process. Regulation is the ability of an embryo or an organ primordium to produce a normal structure if parts have been removed or added. At the cellular level, it means that the fates of cells in a regulative system are not irretrievably fixed and that the cells can still respond to environmental cues. Because the assignment of blastomeres into different cell lineages is one of the principal features of mammalian development, identifying the environmental factors that are involved is important. (pp. 44-49); ... Of the experimental techniques used to demonstrate regulative properties of early embryos, the simplest is to separate the blastomeres of early cleavage-stage embryos and determine whether each one can give rise to an entire embryo. This method has been used to demonstrate that single blastomeres, from two- and sometimes four-cell embryos can form normal embryos, ... (p. 44); ... Fate mapping experiments are important in embryology because they allow one to follow the pathways along which a particular cell can differentiate. Fate mapping experiments, which involve different isozymes of the enzyme glucose phosphate isomerase, have shown that all blastomeres of an eight-cell mouse embryo remain totipotent; that is, they retain the ability to form any cell type in the body. Even at the 16-cell stage of cleavage, some blastomeres are capable of producing progeny that are found in both the inner cell mass and the trophoblastic lineage. (p. 45); ... Another means of demonstrating the regulative properties of early mammalian embryos is to dissociate mouse embryos into separate blastomeres and then to combine the blastomeres of two or three embryos. The combined blastomeres soon aggregate and reorganize to become a single large embryo, which then goes on to become a normal-appearing tetraparental or hexaparental mouse. By various techniques of making chimeric embryos, it is even possible to combine blastomeres to produce interspecies chimeras (e.g., a sheep-goat). (p. 45); ... Blastomere removal and addition experiments have convincingly demonstrated the regulative nature (i.e., the strong tendency for the system to be restored to wholeness) of early mammalian embryos. Such knowledge is important in understanding the reason exposure of early human embryos to unfavorable environmental influences typically results in either death or a normal embryo ” (p. 46).

SOURCE:   WILLIAM J. LARSEN, Essentials of Human Embryology , (New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1998)

■ “The term 'clones' indicates genetic identity and so can describe genetically identical molecules (DNA clones), genetically identical cells or genetically identical organisms. Animal clones occur naturally as a result of sexual reproduction. For example, genetically identical twins are clones who happened to have received exactly the same set of genetic instructions from two donor individuals, a mother and a father. A form of animal cloning can also occur as a result of artificial manipulation to bring about a type of asexual reproduction. The genetic manipulation in this case uses nuclear transfer technology: a nucleus is removed from a donor cell then transplanted into an oocyte whose own nucleus has previously been removed.  The resulting 'renucleated' oocyte can give rise to an individual who will carry the nuclear genome of only one donor individual, unlike genetically identical twins. The individual providing the donor nucleus and the individual that develops from the 'renucleated' oocyte are usually described as "clones", but it should be noted that they share only the same nuclear DNA; they do not share the same mitochondrial DNA, unlike genetically identical twins. ... Nuclear transfer technology was first employed in embryo cloning, in which the donor cell is derived from an early embryo, and has been long established in the case of amphibia. ... Wilmut et al (1997) reported successful cloning of an adult sheep. For the first time, an adult nucleus had been reprogrammed to become totipotent once more, just like the genetic material in the fertilized oocyte from which the donor cell had ultimately developed. ... Successful cloning of adult animals has forced us to accept that genome modifications once considered irreversible can be reversed and that the genomes of adult cells can be reprogrammed by factors in the oocyte to make them totipotent once again.

SOURCE:  TOM STRACHAN and ANDREW P. READ, Human Molecular Genetics  (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1999)(pp. 508-509)