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A CHRISTIAN, INTRA-RELIGIOUS TRANSLATING DICTIONARY:

Terms relating to pregnancy and abortion

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Sponsored link.

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Overview of pregnancy and abortion terms:

There are fundamental differences in definitions used by pro-life and pro-choice advocates:

bulletMost Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Christians, pro-life advocates, and religious conservatives believe that:
bulletPregnancy begins at conception.
bulletHuman life, in the form of an ovum and spermatozoon (i.e. forms of life with human DNA), becomes a human person at conception.
bulletAny medication that terminates the life of a zygote, morula, embryo or fetus is an abortifacient -- it induces an abortion.
bulletThe "morning after pill" (a.k.a. emergency contraception, EC) either is or can be an abortifacient.
bulletEssentially all m edical specialists, pro-choice advocates, religious liberals, etc. believe that :
bulletPregnancy begins when the pre-embryo embeds itself in the wall of the uterus, about twelve days after conception.
bulletHuman life becomes a human person later in pregnancy -- e.g. when the fetus attains sentience or at birth.
bulletAny medication that terminates the a pregnancy is an abortifacient.
bulletThe "morning after" pill prevents a pregnancy from starting. It cannot induce an abortion. It is not an abortifacient.

With such differences in the basic definition of terms, dialogue between pro-choice and pro-life advocates is essentially impossible.

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Contrasting definitions:

Evangelical usage/term Some others' usage/term Comments
Chemical abortion A medically induced abortion that involves the use of a medication. This refers to the use of medication (e.g. RU-486) to terminate a pregnancy. "Others" include medical professionals, pro-choice advocates, etc. "Chemical" implies that the embryo is burned out; "Medical" implies that a pharmaceutical is used to induce abortion.
Pro-abortion, Pro-borts, Pro-abort Pro-choice In favor of abortion access and choice for others.
Abortionists, murderers Abortion providers References to physicians who perform abortions.
Pro-life Anti-abortion, Pro-life. Favoring major restriction or complete elimination of abortion access.
Pregnancy starts at conception. Pregnancy starts when the fertilized ovum is  implanted in the womb. "Others" include medical professionals, scientists, pro-choice advocates, etc.
Human life starts at conception. Human life starts weeks before conception. Each sperm cell is clearly alive and contains human DNA, from the time that it left a testicle until a few weeks later, at conception. So too for an ovum. Both have been a form of human life well before conception.
Human personhood starts at conception. Human personhood starts later in gestation. "Others" include many medical professionals, pro-choice advocates, etc. The "morning after" pill may be considered an abortifacient by the former definition but birth control by the latter.
"The unborn," "pre-born," "child," or "baby" Zygote, fertilized ovum, morula, embryo or fetus. These are largely medical terms. In popular use, the term "baby" is used to refer to any stage of development from pre-embryo to infant.
An abortion is an intentional termination of a pregnancy at any time from conception to birth A therapeutic abortion is an intentional termination of a pregnancy, from implantation to viability. "Others" include medical professionals, scientists, some pro-choice advocates, etc.
In a religious and moral sense, but not at this time in a legal sense, all abortion result in the murder of a human person. Abortion kills a developing embryo or fetus. Abortion becomes murder when the ovum, embryo or fetus has become a human person. There is no consensus on when this occurs.
A contraceptive device or medication prevents conception. A contraceptive device or medication prevents pregnancy. Physicians and pro-choice advocates generally define pregnancy as starting many days after conception, when the pre-embryo implants in the wall of the uterus.

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Site navigation:

 Home page > Religious info > Evangelical dictionary > here

or Home > "Hot" religious topics > Abortion > Abortion facts > here

 Home > Comparison of religions > Evangelical dictionary > here

 Home > "Hot" topics > Homosexuality > Basic info > Evangelical dictionary > here

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Copyright © 2000 to 2006 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2000-OCT-2-
Latest update: 2006-FEB-26
Author: B.A. Robinson

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