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Related Concept Videos

Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

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The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
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Fertilization01:38

Fertilization

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During fertilization, an egg and sperm cell fuse to create a new diploid structure. In humans, the process occurs once the egg has been released from the ovary, and travels into the fallopian tubes. The process requires several key steps: 1) sperm present in the genital tract must locate the egg; 2) once there, sperm need to release enzymes to help them burrow through the protective zona pellucida of the egg; and 3) the membranes of a single sperm cell and egg must fuse, with the sperm...
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After a large-single-celled zygote is produced via fertilization, the process of cleavage occurs while zygotes travel through the uterine tube. Cleavage is a mitotic cell division that does not result in growth. With each round of successive cell division, daughter cells get increasingly smaller.
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Development of the Sexual Organs in the Embryo and Fetus01:15

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Development of the reproductive organs in an embryo starts from a bipotential state. This means the early embryo can develop either male or female reproductive organs. The formation of these organs begins with the growth of gonadal ridges that arise from the intermediate mesoderm during the fifth week of development.
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Reproductive Cloning01:27

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Reproductive cloning is the process of producing a genetically identical copy—a clone—of an entire organism. While clones can be produced by splitting an early embryo—similar to what happens naturally with identical twins—cloning of adult animals is usually done by a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).
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The first successfully cloned mammal was Dolly, a sheep, born on 5th July 1996 at Roslin Institute, Scotland. The cloned sheep was named after the American singer Dolly Parton. Dolly lived for seven years and died of respiratory complications, which is speculated to be due to the actual age of her DNA. Because the DNA in cloned cells belongs to an older individual,  the cloned individual’s life expectancy may be affected. Indeed, analysis of Dolly’s DNA revealed shorter...
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Updated: May 9, 2025

Is My Mouse Pregnant? High-Frequency Ultrasound Assessment
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Abortion and Imminent Personhood.

Joel Cox1

  • 1Department of Healthcare Ethics, Department of Philosophy, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

Bioethics
|May 3, 2025
PubMed
Summary

The fetus is an imminent person, not merely a potential one, granting it greater moral standing. This reframes the abortion debate by focusing on the fetus's imminent personhood and moral status.

Area of Science:

  • Bioethics
  • Philosophy of Law
  • Moral Philosophy

Background:

  • The abortion debate involves complex ethical considerations, including individual autonomy and respect for life.
  • A central issue is the metaphysical and moral status of the fetus: actualized versus potential personhood.
  • Existing views on fetal status may mischaracterize the fetus's nature, necessitating a reevaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the status of the fetus within the abortion debate.
  • To introduce and argue for the concept of 'imminent personhood' for fetuses.
  • To re-situate the abortion debate on a more helpful philosophical foundation.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing philosophical and ethical viewpoints on fetal status.
  • Definition and argumentation for the concept of 'imminence' as distinct from 'potentiality'.
Keywords:
IVFabortionbioethicspersonhoodpotential

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  • Analysis of how imminence confers a special moral standing.
  • Addressing counterarguments regarding imminence, potentiality, and the relevance of fetal personhood.

    • Main Results:

    • The fetus is best understood as an imminent person, not solely a potential person.
    • Imminent entities possess a moral standing superior to that of potential entities.
    • The concept of imminence offers a novel framework for understanding the fetus's moral significance.

    Conclusions:

    • Reconceptualizing the fetus as an imminent person provides a more accurate and ethically robust perspective.
    • This reframing of fetal status can lead to a more productive discourse on abortion.
    • The moral standing derived from imminence has significant implications for legal and ethical considerations in abortion debates.