:: The S.I.C.L.E. Cell ::

:: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 ::

It's 4 in the morning, so number three has to be uber brief:

Building Babies...
Things that stood out/comments:

1. If a woman has unprotected sex during ovulation there is a 1 in 4 chance that she will become pregnant.

2. Considering the combinations of genetic information that could be imparted upon fertilization via 23 paternal chromosomes and 23 maternal chromosomes, there is a 1 in 64 billion chance of being who you are.

3. The neutral program claims that a new life begins with the diploid cell. (But this is only because the show is talking about human reproduction as a science, not a political right to abortion. Were the show about abortion life would only begin upon being wanted by the host.)

4. The program states that each of us is a mass of individual cells working together. So it's true that what is being aborted is a mass of cells. A mass of cells is also spread-eagle in stirrups. A mass of cells is also holding a cannula in hand and aspirating another mass of cells. Language is fun. But that stands to reason; it has been developed over thousands of years by many masses of cells.

5. During pregnancy a woman produces as many hormones as she would in 150 years of non-pregnant life. Obviously pregnancy is a great time to make life-altering decisions.

6. MRI's of embryos provide fascinating images. (And I use the term "embryos" like I use the term "toddlers".)

7. The program's voiceover says that the embryo MRI's allow us to "see ourselves as we've never seen ourselves before." This adds new dimension to the hackneyed "Our Bodies, Ourselves."

8. "This baby's mother..." was used in reference to an image of an 8-week fetus.

9. Fetal pain: a gestating child less than 12 weeks old was referred to as having "sensitive skin".

10. I couldn't find anything on the Net, but someone named Dr. Nelson can take an ultrasound of a baby and scan it into a machine that makes a 3D sculpture of said child. Moms can take home the novelty and more easily "connect" with baby.

11. Dr. Bernard Benoit's ultrasounds were discussed.

12. The fetoscope is mentioned.

13. The bad news is the term "it" was sometimes used in reference to the developing child. (And I use the term "developing child" to describe not only a fetus but also my six-year-old and any other child who is currently developing... my husband for instance. D'harhar!)

:: ashli 7:24 AM # ::
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