
Life Begins With Fireworks!
Is a fetus a human? Looking at the reverse of this question: Is a human a fetus? That puts it in a different light, doesn't it? You could say, "Is a human ever a fetus?" Well, that answer would be yes, of course! You wouldn't be reading this, and I wouldn't be writing this if we weren't fetuses first. Were we humans at that time? Let's delve a little deeper.
In 2016. at Northwestern University, IL, scientists using a fluorescent sensor were able to observe the flash of light that occurs the moment that a single human sperm pierces a human egg. This is now a living human being ... the way we all started. In that amazing fraction of a second in which the egg is fertilized, there is a real spark of fireworks, set off by the mineral zinc!
Previously, in a mammal's egg, the scientific team "caught a glimpse of an egg's zinc-storage capacities, and found some 8000 zinc compartments, each one containing around one million zinc atoms, just ripe for exploding. The tiny firecrackers that resulted were found to last for about two hours after fertilization.
Now the same team has managed to film this event occurring in a human egg at the point of conception.
"It was remarkable!" says one of the team, Teresa Woodruff, "We discovered the zinc spark just five years ago in the mouse, and to see the zinc radiate out in a burst from each human egg was breathtaking!" - Crew, 5.27.2016, Scientists Just Captured the Actual Light Flash That Sparks When a Sperm Meets an Egg, ScienceAlert.com
Some believe that for humans, this little firework is the celebration of, not just a new life, but a brand new spirit breathed into that life, reminiscent of the Lord breathing spirit and life into the newly formed body of Adam. The breath of God gave Adam both a living soul and a spirit.
The process of the rapid development of the little fertilized egg, already sparkling with new life, is a fascinating one.
If this is your child, his or her sex and all inherited genetic characteristics, such as personality traits, left or right-handedness, eye color, hair color, skin, and body type were instantly set from that first spark of conception! Your baby immediately has their full set of 46 chromosomes: 23 from Mommy and 23 from Daddy.
From an amazing article on NewScientist.com, we learn that the new human embryo receives all the nourishment needed, including oxygen, from glands in the wall of the uterus. For the first 11 weeks, this "Womb Milk" will support the growing baby!
After that time the mother's own nutrient-rich blood will be plumbed in via the placenta and umbilical cord which enter the baby's bloodstream through his 'belly button.' No need for lungs at this point!
In week five, the baby's heart will start beating for the first time!
At week six, his brainwaves can be recorded, although they began before that.
In week eight, his cute little face is more refined, including the tip of that adorable nose, his eyes, and eyelids. We know he is dreaming at times because he has REM, or rapid eye movements, in his sleep.
In week nine, key internal and external organs are forming. Tiny fingers are growing longer.
Week 10! Baby has graduated from the title of embryo to fetus. This week his kidneys will actually produce urine! Now the brain is forming faster - nearly 250,000 neurons every minute !
Week 11. Baby will begin to breathe underwater. He's inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid which helps his lungs to develop.
Week 12. Baby is sucking her thumb.
By week 15, he's been stretching, kicking, and curling his fingers. His mouth is fully formed, and he's practicing his sucking reflexes. He's also making cute faces, frowning, and squinting to flex his facial muscles.
In week 16, your baby girl has hundreds of thousands of eggs forming in her ovaries - your future grandchildren!
Baby is moving 50 or more times each hour, flexing and extending her body, moving her head, face, and limbs; and exploring the walls of the uterus. She can walk around by pushing off the walls with her feet. She may even lick the uterus with that cute little tongue. Does it taste good?
Week 18. Four and a half months. Your baby can hear sounds including you talking to her! Babies have been seen laughing, live on ultrasound, which causes the mother to laugh, then her baby laughs even harder, bouncing up and down!
If Mommy gets upset during her pregnancy, studies have shown that babies remember that episode after birth.
Babies prefer the food their mothers ate while carrying them. They also show a preference for the music they heard while in the womb!
They react to their mother's and father's voice and touch through the mother's belly. They also react to light coming through the mother's belly into their watery world.
As early as 22 weeks, or five and a half months, it is possible for your baby to survive outside the womb! Just four weeks later, his odds of survival increase dramatically. As one doctor put it, "The are designed to live."
Of course, we want them to go to full term for their best health and development.
Only hours after birth, Baby clearly shows he prefers his Mommy's voice to that of a stranger.
There is an extensive body of research collected by Princeton.edu. These scientists, researchers, and doctors all came to the same conclusion supporting the fact that life begins at conception ... the moment the sperm penetrates the egg. You can view it here.
Let's take a look at a few questions people have searched online regarding babies in the womb. People want to know:
Is a fetus a human?
Is a fetus a baby?
Is a fetus alive?
Is a fetus conscious?
A living human being is called an embryo from the moment of conception to the 10th week. From the 10th week until birth the child is referred to as a fetus.
Given the information in this post, what would be your conclusion? When a person is in their embryo/fetus stage of life, are they a living, human, conscious baby?
Which answer makes the most sense based on all the information science has put at our disposal?
Another interesting consideration is the development of the human nervous system which according to this article begins in the third week after fertilization of the egg!
Even a very new nervous system can sense discomfort or comfort. Pain or calmness. And the development continues rapidly from the third week of life in the womb.
Do babies feel pain in the womb? Here is a sobering article by Chelsea Sobolik for more on that subject.
A quote from the article reads:
... this new study reconsiders that claim and makes the case for pain being felt at an earlier gestational age. Stuart W.G. Derbyshire and John C. Bockmann state, "Overall, the evidence, and a balanced reading of the evidence, points toward an immediate and unreflective pain experience mediated by the developing function of the nervous system as early as 12 weeks."
Yes. Babies do feel pain in the womb, just like you or me. There are countless cases of babies crying and screaming while trying to pull away from the abortionist's instruments.
What does the Bible say about fetuses being human? Luke 1:41-44, English Standard Version, reads:
And when Elizabeth (Mary's cousin) heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For behold, when the sound of your greeting came into my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
There is a lot to learn about whether a fetus is a human from this passage in Luke, Chapter One.
First of all, the baby in Mary's womb, Jesus, (Jesus was most likely less than 10 weeks) would be considered an embryo, and the baby in Elizabeth's womb, John, would be considered a fetus at 6 months.
Elizabeth immediately knew that Mary was carrying the Lord, the Messiah, and she was instantly filled with the Holy Spirit upon hearing Mary's voice. The Lord God in the form of an embryo at this stage was alive and fully God.
Elizabeth was six months pregnant (known by the word of the anget that appeared to Mary in verse 36). And Mary had just become pregnant recently through the Holy Spirit when she accepted the word of the angel. So the babies were six months apart.
An angel of the Lord God told Mary to call her son Jesus. An angel also told Elizabeth's husband, Zechariah, to call his son, John. Notice the angel and the people involved naturally treated the unborn children as people, humans.
When the greeting of Mary sounded in Elizabeth's ears, her six month old unborn baby recognized Mary as the mother (already a mother, not the future mother) of Jesus, the Lord. It causes him, John, to leap in Elizabeth's womb for joy.
This is a great indication of the baby's awareness and alertness. But even more profound, it shows us that he had a spirit as well as a mind and body. His spirit sensed the presence of God in Mary.
It also shows us the unborn baby had feelings and emotions because Elizabeth tells Mary, "the baby in my womb leaped for joy."
The angel who told each of the parents what to name their babies already knew the sexes of the babies as well as what they would accomplish in their lives. The angel gave them male names, and the mothers both had boys.
Never did the angel nor the parents refer to their children as anything other than babies, or children, no matter what stage or development they were in.
Although only a week or two old, the baby in Mary's womb was fully endowed with a sex, a name, and a Spirit which was recognized by the spirit in Elizabeth's baby, causing him to leap for joy.
Given the above evidence, in a court of law, how would a judge rule on the question, "Is a fetus a human?"
If you were that judge, what would you decide?
If by chance, dear reader, you have already had an abortion, please know that God loves you and will forgive you when you ask Him. Your unborn baby who is with Jesus in Paradise right now forgives you too. There is an amazing book written by the well-known author, Frank E. Peretti, called Tilly. You can find it on Amazon. Please read it. It is so healing and helpful.
God loves you no matter what mistakes you've made. He wants you to go on and live a happy, fulfilled life. He's taking care of your baby until you get there! Know you are loved!
If you are considering abortion, please think about adoption as a wonderful alternative for you and your child. If your life situation would keep you from raising your baby consider adoption. You will never regret it. Please reach out to a Care Net Pregnancy Center near you. They will help you and support you at every step along the way including food, a place to live, and clothing for you and your baby.
If you are in a crisis such as a domestic abuse situation they will help you with that too. They will help you set up adoption, or help you to keep and support your baby if that is what you decide. You will never have to face this alone.
Here is a webpage for Care Net where you can find a Care Net Pregnancy Center in your area.
You can reach out to me as well, here at ChristianLifeCoach.Love.
Email me at ChristianLifeCoachJulian@gmail.com
Or call and leave a message at 484-206-5126. I'll get back with you ASAP. God bless you!
Big thanks to Parents.com, Baby's Alertness in the Womb, Karin A. Bilich; and Third Trimester Ultrasound Pictures, Kristen J. Gough
I also want to acknowledge the following resources:
NewScientist.com, Womb Milk Nourishes Embryo During the First Weeks of Pregnancy, Andy Coghlan
Tilly, Frank Peretti, Crossway, 2003
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