Embryos human

I find it ironic that Martin Foreman accuses “the antiabortion lobby” of being “intellectually dishonest” when they refer to abortion as “killing children” (Letters, 10 September). He himself makes the astounding statement that “an embryo . . . to about eight weeks . . . is not human in any sense of the word.”

The human embryo is patently human because of its genetic make-up. Size and appearance do not determine its humanity. It is a human life at an early stage and, unless interrupted by some defect in the process or by intentional abortion, will develop to maturity.

Of course an embryo or foetus is not capable of independent existence, but then neither is the newborn child. Sadly Mr Foremen is mistaken when he writes: “No-one seriously suggests that children should be killed.” Some years ago Professor Singer of Princeton University advocated that babies with some birth defects should be given a month before it was decided whether they were worthy of continued life.

This shows the danger of setting standards of deciding what is human life worthy of preserving.

Mr Foreman’s final statement about the “real cause of abortions” being “contraceptive methods that are not used or fail” does not convince because it omits human decision-making. Failure or nonuse of contraception may give rise to pregnancy, but it is humans who make the decision whether or not to use contraception and whether to abort or not.

We need to regain respect for the humanity of the human embryo/foetus/child and encourage and support women

with unexpected/unwanted pregnancies to choose to continue the life in their womb.

REV DR DONALD M. MACDONALD Blackford Avenue, Edinburgh