It has been said for many years that a woman has the right to do whatever she wants with her own body. I will have to agree with that assessment as far as it goes concerning anybody's body. But in the case of pregnancy are we talking about one body or two? This has always been a cloudy subject. With the discovery of DNA this question is finally answered.
DNA is comprised of long chemicals strings. Every cell in one person's body has the exact DNA makeup. Of the six billion people who now inhabit the earth no two people have the same DNA pattern. Each person is as different as the proverbial snow flake. No two are alike. (see note at bottom of page)
The child's DNA makeup will reflect the makeup of the mother and the father. Though it is a reflection, it is a reflection of them both. There are what are called markers that will point to the mother and to the father and taken as a whole will point out exact paternity and maternity. DNA testing will qualify only one person who is the father and will disqualify every other man. DNA testing will also qualify only one woman as the mother.
When it comes to siblings, brother or sister, DNA testing can once again differentiate between siblings, whether brother or sister, it does not matter. Though the differences can be minute, the differences can easily be made out. This is the marvel of the science of DNA patterning.
Now we come to the pregnant woman. With DNA patterning we can finally discover the truth whether or not the fetus that is within her is actually a part of her body. Any type of cells from the woman can be used for the test except of course for cells from the fetus. Any type of cells from the fetus can also be used for this testing purpose. DNA testing can then be done on the two samples.
The result of the DNA test always shows that we are dealing with tissue from two distinct individuals. What we can know for sure is that; one of the samples is from the mother showing maternity, the other group of cells belong to the fetus. Science proves without doubt that we are dealing with two distinct individuals. Though they are connected by an umbilical cord they are distinct.
The question then becomes not whether the fetus is a part of the woman's body, for science shows it is not, but whether the individual inside of the woman is a person recognized in law. This is the true battleground upon which the abortion rights issue needs to be fought. The battle for the life of the fetus is not much different than the fight for recognition of blacks to be considered as persons under the law.
In Canada, women were not considered persons under the law until parliament granted them this distinction. It is at that point that women were able to hold property and to begin to vote. They fought for their rights to be considered a person under the law. It is up to us, those in the pro-life movement, to take up the fight on behalf of the unborn for the purposes of having parliament grant them the distinction of becoming persons under the law. In our society it is not enough to prove you are an individual, you need parliament to grant you the rights of personhood.
We are not talking about the rights of the woman to do with her body and she pleases. What we are talking about is the right of the fetus to life as a person. Until this is granted by an act of Parliament, the pro-life movement is tilting at windmills.
Please, get involved with your local pro-life chapter. Someone's life is on the line.
11th of July, 2001
Note: Recently I have watched a series of programs on DNA. I found out at this time that in the case of identical twins the DNA of both children are identical. To what extent do they mean identical is for them to clarify. 27/feb/04