Ask us anything about abortion.

Calling a fetus “just a clump of cells” is biologically misleading.

Every human being is made of cells, but an embryo or fetus is not merely a random collection of them. From the earliest stages of development, the unborn child is a living human organism whose cells are organized and coordinated toward the growth and development of the whole body.

And that development happens remarkably quickly.

Around 21 days after fertilization, the developing heart begins to beat. The heart is the first functional organ to develop. By the early weeks of pregnancy, the brain and spinal cord are forming, along with the structures that will become the eyes, ears, arms, and legs.

By 8 weeks, the embryo has undergone extensive development of the brain and spine, facial structures, limbs, and developing internal organs.

By 12 weeks, the kidneys are producing urine, the pancreas is producing insulin, fingernails have formed, and the fetus can make breathing-like movements and swallow amniotic fluid.

By 18 weeks, hearing is developing and the fetus can hear sounds. By roughly 19–20 weeks, the ears, nose, and lips can be recognizable on ultrasound, and the digestive system is functioning.

By 21–24 weeks, the unborn child makes stronger kicks and turns, develops a sucking reflex, and begins forming the ridges that will become unique fingerprints and footprints.

So the relevant question is not whether an unborn child is made of cells. We all are.

The question is: what kind of organism are those cells forming?

Biologically, the answer is a developing human organism. “Embryo” and “fetus” are simply names for stages of human development, just as “infant,” “adolescent,” and “adult” are.

Calling an unborn child a “clump of cells” describes what he or she is made of while ignoring what he or she actually is: a living human being at an early stage of development.

Watch a timelapse of the earliest moments of a child's development: 

A new human life begins at fertilization - this is an observable reality attested to in every single embryology and biology textbook.

When a sperm fertilizes an egg, a new, genetically distinct human organism called a zygote begins to exist.

From that point forward, if provided the proper environment and nutrition, the human being develops continuously through the embryonic, fetal, infant, child, adolescent, and adult stages of life.

The scientific reality of when human life begins is not controversial; it is an established fact.

The real debate over abortion, then, is not primarily about when human life begins, it is about which human beings are worthy of protection from violence. The pro-life (anti-abortion) position is the only position which recognizes the value of every human being at every stage of their development.

Human rights do not depend on a person’s size, level of development, location, or degree of dependency. Every human being is valuable from the moment they begin to exist. Being human is enough.

Sexual assault is one of the most horrific crimes possible. A woman who becomes pregnant from an assault has been violated in a uniquely unjust way. There is no way to undo the grave injustice done to her.

Our society frequently fails to protect women from sexual assault and to give them the support they need if they become victims. Women who have been victimized by sexual abusers deserve justice, protection, and healing.

One of the reasons that sexual assault is so grievous is because it constitutes a violent attack against another person’s body.

Abortion is also a violent attack against a person.

True justice for victims of sexual assault cannot include abortion because abortion is simply violence redistributed.

An unborn child is an innocent human being who had no control over the circumstances of their conception. Punishing that child with death does not undo the violence committed against their mother.

Lianna Rebolledo understands this in a deeply personal way. She was kidnapped and sexually assaulted at just 12 years old and became pregnant as a result. Reflecting on the pressure she received to abort, she asked:

“If the abortion is not going to undo the [assault], why would you want me to have an abortion?”

Rebolledo chose life for her daughter. She later described what happened when she first saw her baby: “She became the light that I needed at the end of the tunnel… She reminded me that love is stronger than any violence.”

The pro-life response to sexual assault is not to minimize the suffering of the mother. It is to insist that she deserves more than being told another act of violence is the solution to the violence she has already endured.

We should surround her with medical care, trauma counseling, financial and practical support, and pursue justice against the perpetrator.

A child’s right to life does not depend on the circumstances of their conception. The person who committed the crime should be punished—not the child who resulted from it.

While there are of course some individual pro-life people who are hypocritical in their views (just like there are hypocrites in every movement or political party) the broad witness of the pro-life movement is astounding in its commitment to caring for mothers and children before and after birth.

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There are approximately 3,000 pregnancy resource centers in the U.S., and most are run by pro-life people committed to saving children from abortion and providing material, emotional, and relational support to their mothers. PRCs offer parenting classes, help with transportation, diapers and other baby items, and many provide other kinds of financial assistance such as paying rent for moms during and after pregnancy.

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Many Protect Life Michigan staff and students have been blessed with the opportunity to walk alongside moms facing challenging pregnancies and offer encouragement, support, and practical assistance.

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If you are unexpectedly pregnant and in need of support in Michigan, visit projectrosie.com to learn more about the free resources available to you.