When a female human egg is fertilized by a male human sperm cell, the result is known as a zygote. [The same is true with all other members of the biological Animal Kingdom.] A zygote still is a single cell. It has no brain, central nervous system, eyes, heart, etc. [Yes, that should be obvious and known by everyone. Given the Court's decision, however, thought I'd better make sure:]
When the fertilized egg divides into two identical cells, and those two divide, and on & on, the result is known as an embryo. While an embryo, the group of cells appears no differently than does a group of cells from any number of other animals at the same stage of development. It's a blob of undifferentiated cells. It's not a child, not even close. There's no brain, no developed systems found in a fetus, no sentience, no consciousness, nothing but a group of identical cells. Yes, an embryo has the potential of becoming a human life; but it's not yet such.
Approximately eleven weeks after the last menstrual period in the mother, an embryo begins the phase of cell differentiation. Body systems develop with specific organs. The eventual result is known as a fetus. The differences between an embryo and a fetus are monumental and relevant to ethics.
When an embryo is frozen (which happens in the IVF*** process weeks prior to the beginning of the change to a fetus) cell differentiation doesn't begin until after unfreezing.
[***IVF = in vitro fertilization]
To treat/view an embryo as a child is absurd. To make things worse, one of the justifications for the decision was a citation from the Christian Holy Bible. I was unaware of Alabama being a theocracy, or at least, acting like one. There's no way that's appropriate...or even legal I would guess.
By the way, when you do a Google Search for questions regarding an "embryo", about one-third or more of the answers deal with a FETUS, not an embryo. So it seems some Tech Whiz "Kids" who write algorithms for this Search topic, also need this Biology lesson.
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Not only my opinion. Be Well
p.s. In case anyone is wondering, I have an academic background in Biology and taught the subject at both the High School and Community College levels for years.
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