My last Pop Quiz was regarding the definition of the word "conception." We did have a few winners! But not a ton of responses. I'll have to keep nagging you all to get you to respond, or I'll just actually post every two weeks like I said I would :) So for our answer!
All over the place, pro-lifer's have said that "life begins at conception" but the confusing definition of the word means a lot of the time they aren't saying what they think they're saying. In 1965, the definition of conception changed from fertilization to implantation. In order to understand the significance of this, we have to understand the distinct difference between fertilization and implantation.
Fertilization is the moment when the sperm meets the egg, fertilizes it, and a unique cell is created. This cell, called a zygote, has DNA different from any other DNA that has ever or ever will be created. The DNA determines gender and serves as a blueprint for what the zygote will look like for the rest of his or her life. This moment determines not only all of prenatal development, but all development after birth as well. This is the moment when, scientifically, life begins.
Implantation happens eight days after fertilization. Once the egg is fertilized by the sperm and becomes a zygote, it makes its way to the woman's womb and implants on the lining of her uterus. This is implantation, and happens already after life begins. When the definition of "conception" changed in 1965, it moved conception to eight days after the original definition, eight days after life begins. That may not seem like a lot, but eight days has meant life or death for a lot of people when they, too, were zygotes.
The definition of conception was changed in 1965, the same year birth control was legalized in America. If conception marked the beginning of pregnancy, and pregnancy could be pushed back to start at implantation rather than fertilization, then that's eight more days to work with to "prevent" pregnancy from starting. New forms of birth control (called contraception) can be known as preventative birth control rather than abortion. If we were clear that we believe life begins at fertilization rather than implantation or conception, then a lot of forms of birth control would be considered abortifacient rather than preventative. How many lives have been ended by "birth control" will never be known, but the estimates are staggeringly huge.
And now, the latest and greatest question. In honor of the history of abortion (because I love it soooo much), this question will be regarding that. There are three main court cases that helped legalize abortion, which is NOT one of them? Your options are:
-Griswold vs Connecticut (1965) legalized contraception under the right to privacy.
-R. vs Morgentaler (1971) struck down every abortion law, legalizing it on demand through all nine months of pregnancy.
-Roe vs Wade (1973) legalized abortion abortion on demand in the first trimester, and allowed exceptions in the third trimester for the woman's health.
-Doe vs Bolton (1973) defined "health" to include a woman's physical, medical, psychological, mental, and familial health.
Choose wisely! And looking it up is cheating. I'll try my very very hardest to post an answer and a new question in two weeks. We'll see how that works. Good luck!
