Embryodebate

John Kelly (Letters, 8 September) suggests that abortion is killing “children”. Fortunately no-one seriously suggests that children should be killed. An embryo (from fertilisation to about the eighth week) is about the size of a kidney bean; it is not human in any sense of the word.

Embryos may abort spontaneously without the mother being aware of what is happening. A foetus (from the ninth week) develops reflexes but only around the 20th week does it come close to resembling a baby that has the potential to grow into an adult; at that point it is no larger than a banana and could not survive independently of its mother.

Thanks to modern technology we are able to keep alive many babies born after only 22 weeks, but many of these have severe health complications.

Women who end pregnancies before the embryo or foetus has a chance to survive do not do so lightly. To allege that they are killing children is intellectually dishonest and creates unnecessary stress for the women involved.

I would have more respect for the anti-abortion lobby if it stopped using emotional language and confronted the real cause of abortions – contraceptive methods that are not used or that fail.

MARTIN FOREMAN Craigend Park, Edinburgh