Now, when do I support abortion?
1) Rape cases. 2) Cases where the mother's life is in danger. 3) Cases where the parents "literally" can't afford to have the baby. (although I believe adoption is a very good option).
I strongly support this three cases.
Now, I would just like to add up a comment. I am a man of science, hence I do not hold any moral derived from a religious stand; this is important since, even though, a fetus could be considered a living entity becasue is made out of living cells, is not an organism from start and cannot be considered a living being. It has not conscience yet neither. So, where to draw the line when it comes a "due date" to be able to preform or not the abortion? Well, debate is strong in the scientific community about this one; in my humble opinion, I believe that line should be set at the moment the fetus starts feeling pain, for which the following has to be considered:
- The basic anatomical organization of the human nervous system is established by 6 weeks .[1]
- The earliest neurons in the cortical brain (the part responsible for thinking, memory, and other higher functions) are established starting at 6 weeks .[2]
- Nerve synapses for spinal reflex are in place by 10 weeks .[3]
- Sensory receptors for pain (nociception) develop first around the mouth at 7 weeks , and are present throughout the skin and mucosal surfaces by 20 weeks .[4]
- Connections between the spinal cord and the thalamus (which functions in pain perception in fetuses as well as in adults[5]) are relatively complete by 20 weeks .[6]
[1] Carlson BM, Pattens Foundations of Embryology, Sixth Edition, McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York; 1996; Nikolopoulou E et al., Neural tube closure: cellular, molecular and biomechanical mechanisms, Development 144, 552, 2017.
[2] Bystron I et al., The first neurons of the human cerebral cortex, Nature Neuroscience 9, 880, 2006.
[3] Okado N et al., Synaptogenesis in the cervical cord of the human embryo: Sequence of synapse formation in a spinal reflex pathway, J. Comparative Neurol. 184, 491, 1979; Okado N, Onset of synapse formation in the human spinal cord, J. Comparative Neurol. 201, 211, 1981.
[4] Brusseau R, Developmental Perspectives: Is the Fetus Conscious?, International Anesthesiology Clinics 46, 11, 2008; Lowery CL et al., Neurodevelopmental Changes of Fetal Pain, Seminars in Perinatology 31, 275, 2007.
[5] Chien JH et al., Human Thalamic Somatosensory Nucleus (Ventral Caudal, Vc) as a Locus for Stimulation by INPUTS from Tactile, Noxious and Thermal Sensors on an Active Prosthesis. Sensors (Basel). 17, 2017
[6] Van de Velde M and De Buck F, Fetal and Maternal Analgesia/Anesthesia for Fetal Procedures, Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy 31, 201, 2012; Van Scheltema PNA et al., Fetal Pain, Fetal and Maternal Medicine Review 19, 311, 2008.