Does an embryo have a heartbeat?

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We were discussing stem cell research today in my human anatomy and physiology class, and everyone got into a heated argument over the morality of stem cell research. One person argued that since a human embryo does not have a brain or even a heartbeat, embryonic stem cell research isn’t wrong. A friend of mine said that her pregnant sister’s embryo has a heartbeat, but then another student said that was ridiculous.

So my question is… does a human embryo have a heartbeat? Or is the human embryo considered a fetus once the heartbeat develops?

Also, some students argued that an embryo is “just a little ball or cell and not really a human life.” How do I argue against this?
 
The heart begins to beat only 3 weeks after conception (pregnancy weeks are calculated adding two weeks before conception so an obstetrician would call it 5 weeks).

The life is called an embryo until the 3rd month of pregnancy so you are correct, an embryo has a beating heart.

Edited to add a link about development: realalternatives.org/pregnant/fetaldevelopment.htm
 
Yes, but it does no good to confuse the issue with inaccurate biology. At the blastocyst stage, when stem cells are taken, they embryo does not have a heart.

But it is a new human individual in the process of developing.
 
My apologies! I was answering the larger question of an embryo having a heartbeat - which at three weeks it does. Apparently stem cell research uses an embryo that that is 4-5 days.

Here is a site with info. about stem-cell embryos: stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics3.asp
 
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JMJ_Pinoy:
Also, some students argued that an embryo is “just a little ball or cell and not really a human life.” How do I argue against this?
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Well, a developing human embryo is alive. This is undeniable. Therefore, it is a life. The next question is: “Well, if it’s not human, what is it?”

What folks who resort to this line of “reasoning” are doing is equivocating on the meaning of “human.” If they’ve put any thought into their sophism, they have various, completely arbitrary criteria that divide the unborn between the categories of “not-yet-human” and “human.”

Fortunately, there is no logical nor scientific basis for such categories. There is no scientifically identifiable point during gestation that an embryo ceases to be “not-yet-human” and becomes “human.”

– Mark L. Chance.
 
Why does the child have to reach the stage of having a heartbeat to be considered human? Since they don’t really have a bonafide scientific answer, don’t they think that they should err on the side of caution?

Besides, aren’t they finding more promise in umbilical cord blood?

My brother is a scientist (working for NIH) and he once told me that scientists just don’t like having any options closed to them. I don’t know if he is pro or con at the moment.
 
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JMJ_Pinoy:
A friend of mine said that her pregnant sister’s embryo has a heartbeat, but then another student said that was ridiculous.

So my question is… does a human embryo have a heartbeat? Or is the human embryo considered a fetus once the heartbeat develops?
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I’m pregnant and at 6 weeks I saw the baby’s heartbeat. Development happens very fast in a pregnancy. If I could **see **the heartbeat at 6 weeks, then where would they draw the line and where is the evidence that they would be safe (and correct)?

They are way too quick to take a life.
 
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JMJ_Pinoy:
Also, some students argued that an embryo is “just a little ball or cell and not really a human life.” How do I argue against this?
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Well it certainly ain’t chicken, grass, or any other life form, is it??

The fact that it is the result of the union of a HUMAN egg and HUMAN sperm MAKES IT HUMAN from the get-go.

The fact that the embryo IS dividing and developing makes it** ALIVE** as opposed to NOT developing (in which case the pregnancy has terminated resulting in a miscarriage).

In order for something to end it had to have had a beginning and a middle, regardless of how long that middle lasts - hours, days, months.

So, it’s LIFE because it is developing.
It’s HUMAN because it came from Human egg and Human sperm.
 
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YinYangMom:
Well it certainly ain’t chicken, grass, or any other life form, is it??

The fact that it is the result of the union of a HUMAN egg and HUMAN sperm MAKES IT HUMAN from the get-go.

The fact that the embryo IS dividing and developing makes it** ALIVE** as opposed to NOT developing (in which case the pregnancy has terminated resulting in a miscarriage).

In order for something to end it had to have had a beginning and a middle, regardless of how long that middle lasts - hours, days, months.

So, it’s LIFE because it is developing.
It’s HUMAN because it came from Human egg and Human sperm.
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YES!!! Great post!! This says it all.
 
Thanks for all the info! 🙂

We’ll be debating next week in class over the funding of stem cell research; however, our teacher will assign our positions. I hope I’ll be arguing against the funding. But if I’m assigned to argue for it, then I’ll still sneakily argue against it, LOL. I could give all my info. to someone arguing against the funding, then I’ll be asking questions that the person already has answers to! 😃
 
JMJ, you have to look up Fr. Tad from the National Catholic Bioethics Center (I think that’s what it’s called). He is incredibly smart and does this fantastic presentation on stem cells! I actually got to see him do it in person and then saw it later on TV too. They put out a great pamphlet on this. You can probably order it off their website. I don’t have the info in front of me right now, but I’m sure it will show up on a search. Good Luck! 👍

BTW, if you have to argue in favor of stem cell research, you could argue for the many techniques that **do not ** involve killing human embryos. Especially since these stem cells are the **only ** ones capable of curing people of anything right now. They have been successful for hundreds of applications including diabetes and heart disease! This is the research we need to promote! So you can easily defend both sides of this issue! Really try to get that pamphlet. 👍
 
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YinYangMom:
Well it certainly ain’t chicken, grass, or any other life form, is it??

The fact that it is the result of the union of a HUMAN egg and HUMAN sperm MAKES IT HUMAN from the get-go.

The fact that the embryo IS dividing and developing makes it** ALIVE** as opposed to NOT developing (in which case the pregnancy has terminated resulting in a miscarriage).

In order for something to end it had to have had a beginning and a middle, regardless of how long that middle lasts - hours, days, months.

So, it’s LIFE because it is developing.
It’s HUMAN because it came from Human egg and Human sperm.
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Thank you. This is good enough to print and hand out.
 
Y’all wanna know the real kicker??? 😉

Up until a year ago I was a ‘within reason’ Pro-Choicer, falling into that whole distinction between ‘Real’ life and ‘simply’ cell division.

Thanks to JPII for requesting evangelization…
Relevant Radio for responding to the call…
Fr. Corapi and all the other program people at Relevant Radio…
Christopher West, Jeff Cavins & Co…
Many charitable and patient posters here at CAF…
and the grace of God…
I saw the distinction and am now able to defend the Pro-Life position. 😃

I still differ on HOW to go about removing abortion from the world, however, so I’m not in the full Pro-Life camp, especially with regard to attacking it from the Supreme Court angle.

I’m in the EDUCATION camp…reveal the Truth so people will no longer consider it an option. Eliminate the demand and the business will fail, and in the end there are converted hearts/minds with regard to the value of human life. As Christopher West said, even if we remove the law, abortion will still continue.

It’s not a matter of choice…it’s a matter of respect for human life, but the pro-choicers have such a distorted view of what “life” is, that they can’t comprehend the reality.
 
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legeorge:
JMJ, you have to look up Fr. Tad from the National Catholic Bioethics Center (I think that’s what it’s called). He is incredibly smart and does this fantastic presentation on stem cells! I actually got to see him do it in person and then saw it later on TV too. They put out a great pamphlet on this. You can probably order it off their website. I don’t have the info in front of me right now, but I’m sure it will show up on a search. Good Luck! 👍

BTW, if you have to argue in favor of stem cell research, you could argue for the many techniques that **do not **involve killing human embryos. Especially since these stem cells are the **only **ones capable of curing people of anything right now. They have been successful for hundreds of applications including diabetes and heart disease! This is the research we need to promote! So you can easily defend both sides of this issue! Really try to get that pamphlet. 👍
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Thanks for the advice! But I think we’re debating over the funding of embryonic stem cell research, not stem cell research in general. BTW… I was assigned to debate *against *funding for stem cell research! :dancing: Some people who support embryonic stem cell research, however, were assigned to debate against the funding. And some people who are against the research were assigned to debate for the other side.

I’m so relieved that I’ll be able to debate for the pro-life side. Hopefully, some of my classmates will wake up and realize how unethical embryonic stem cell research is, as a result of the debate. :gopray:

Thanks again for all the info!
 
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JMJ_Pinoy:
Thanks for the advice! But I think we’re debating over the funding of embryonic stem cell research, not stem cell research in general. BTW… I was assigned to debate *against *funding for stem cell research! :dancing: Some people who support embryonic stem cell research, however, were assigned to debate against the funding. And some people who are against the research were assigned to debate for the other side.

I’m so relieved that I’ll be able to debate for the pro-life side. Hopefully, some of my classmates will wake up and realize how unethical embryonic stem cell research is, as a result of the debate. :gopray:

Thanks again for all the info!
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JMJ_Pinoy:

Being assigned the position opposite your belief is part of how one learns how to debate. 14 years ago, I was a thoroughgoing LIBERAL assigned the position of DEFENDING censorship of Pornography in a Debate (not what I believed).

I found out that even NORWAY and HOLLAND had outlawed certain types of Pornography including CHILD PORNOGRAPHY (on the basis that these were harmful to the people whose pictures were taken, and to society and the consumers).

That just might have been my first step in leaving LIBERALISM.

Just make sure that those who are for Embryonic Stem Cell Research and have been assigned to argue against it DO THEIR RESEARCH and understand, not only the facts about fetuses, but also the facts that ALMOST ALL of the major discoveries that have led to cures and treatments have come from ADULT STEM CELL RESEARCH, that a FEW have come from PLACENTAL CELL (Afterbirth) STEM CELL RESEARCH and that NONE HAVE COME FROM EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH!

Anyone who can convince the audience of the above FACTS, and can demonstrate that the case for Embryonic Stem Cell Research is based on EMOTIONALISM, HOPE AND HYPE, should be able to change a few minds as well as win the debate.

Blessed are they who act to save God’s Little Ones, Michael
 
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JMJ_Pinoy:
Thanks for the advice! But I think we’re debating over the funding of embryonic stem cell research, not stem cell research in general…
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we’re praying the debate goes well!
 
The heartbeat of the new person in the womb starts beating within 29 days of conception. Technically, this person is called an embryo at this stage of life (like a 14 year old is called a “teenager”).

It is not until week 8 of life that an embryo “graduates” to the next age group called “fetus” (mean “little one” in Latin).
 
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mlchance:
Fortunately, there is no logical nor scientific basis for such categories. There is no scientifically identifiable point during gestation that an embryo ceases to be “not-yet-human” and becomes “human.”

– Mark L. Chance.
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That kind of reasoning is EXACTLY why the United States Supreme Court decided to decide that THEY were the legislative branch of our government instead of the judicial branch of our government, those 9 Supreme Court judges decided to MAKE a law about abortion – instead of implementing the Consititution for legal cases.

Instead of upholding the United States Constitution which claims the right to LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all –

The first of these rights starts with the simple right to live… which everybody – no matter at what point of their development – is existing.

Simply a scientific fact that when the woman’s egg and the man’s sperm cells are joined that causes a brand new, unique, cell with its own DNA.

And that DNA is NOT the DNA of a cow or a horse or a dog. It’s a NEW human being with their own identity. Like you and I were at that age and will be for the rest of our lives.

The Supreme Court decided they were scientists who had the right to say what they did – which is (according to those 9 people on the Supreme Court at the time) because they couldn’t tell for sure one way or the other when it is that human life starts, they decided to avoid the idea altogether and MAKE a law that makes it not illegal to prematurely force a human life from the womb before he or she is developed enough to be able to live without further help to live.

I invite you to read further on this topic – here → :o

priestsforlife.org/ultrasound.html

By the way, as of right now (August 12, 2005 at 1:30 AM Pacific time) – the approximate number of babies killed by surgical abortion in the USA since January 22, 1973 is:

45 million – 420 thousand – 138.

That’s – 45,420,138. :eek:

Let us pray for healing for all who have been impacted by abortion in any way… and for the rest of us who are storming Heaven and acting as the Lord leads us to overturn this holocaust.

Practical methods that you and I can do are listed here →

priestsforlife.org/brochures/whatyoucando.htm

Thanks!
👍
 
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YinYangMom:
Y’all wanna know the real kicker??? 😉

I still differ on HOW to go about removing abortion from the world, however, so I’m not in the full Pro-Life camp, especially with regard to attacking it from the Supreme Court angle.

I’m in the EDUCATION camp…reveal the Truth so people will no longer consider it an option. Eliminate the demand and the business will fail, and in the end there are converted hearts/minds with regard to the value of human life. As Christopher West said, even if we remove the law, abortion will still continue.

It’s not a matter of choice…it’s a matter of respect for human life, but the pro-choicers have such a distorted view of what “life” is, that they can’t comprehend the reality.
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You are definitely an optimist.
It’s true that converting minds and hearts one by one is the most effective way of creating change, but it takes forever, and if the law prohibited abortion, people would be more likely to take it seriously. There are so many young girls who just don’t think, and are pressured to have abortions by their families and boyfriends. If it were against the law, they would be given pause.
 
The question, “Does an embryo have a heartbeat?” has been answered but as the debate will be the question of funding it is important to point out that all the research funds directed towards embryonic stem cell research diverts limited funds, time and energy away from the funding of adult stem cell research which has and continues to prove itself as the most promising and efficacious of the two. To take the wrong road will effectively delay the very cures we are seeking because the money will have been wasted.
 
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