Fetus

The science of developmental biology has recognized four basic stages of development in human reproduction prior to birth.  The first stage involves the formation of male (sperm) and female (egg) gametes.  When the sperm and egg come together to form a single cell it is called a zygote; this is the second stage.  At this point cell division begins the third stage resulting in an embryo.  The embryo of many mammals looks very similar at this point.  When the developing embryo begins to resemble the adult organism it is termed a fetus, the fourth and final stage prior to birth. 

In human development, the fetal stage begins about the eighth to ninth week of gestation.  At this point the developing fetus takes on all the characteristic features of an infant.  The head, limbs, fingers, and toes are easily recognizable.  There is no mistaking that the organism is truly human.  Fetus is a term derived from the Latin word meaning “young in the womb”; in this case, a young person.  At birth when the fetus exits the birth canal, we call it an infant.  This change in terminology (fetus-infant) represents a change in position, not structure.

The term fetus is sometimes used to distract, or somehow convince one that the developing mass of cells is not truly human.  As stated above, science applies the term “fetus” only when the developing embryo begins to look like an infant.  Those who work in the abortion industry tend to use fetus in an attempt to hide what they unnaturally and forcibly remove from the womb.  Fetus is used to help conceal the truth that abortion ends the growth and development of what would have become a precious baby, made in the image of God, genetically unique to all who have ever existed, or ever will exist.