On Wednesday, shortly before midnight, in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Texas law, SB 8, to go into effect. The Texas law is designed to protect unborn babies whose hearts have begun to beat.
“Science has clearly shown that, by six weeks, the embryo is already a complex human,” says Lois Anderson, ORTL executive director. “By six weeks of gestation, the heart of a developing human has already beaten nearly 16 million times and is easily detectable by ultrasound. The Texas law seeks to protect what science has clearly established is human life.”
Peer-reviewed science on babies at six weeks of gestation proves that:
- The heart is actively beating at six weeks. Between conception and birth, the fetus’s heart will beat approximately 54 million times.
- A developing human’s average heart rate is 98 BPM. This will rise to 175 BPM by 9 weeks of gestation.
- The presence of a heartbeat at 6-8 weeks of gestation correlates with a live birth rate of 98% in normal pregnancies without intervention.
- The brain has divided into three primary sections responsible for sensing and decision-making, moving and tracking objects, and vital body functions.
- Eyes, ears, and nose start forming.
“Despite all that science has shown, Oregon continues to allow legal abortion, totally unrestricted, until the moment of birth,” continued Anderson. “Despite nearly 70% of Oregonians opposing this radical position, Oregon’s ruling political party marches in lockstep with the wishes of the abortion industry, putting profits before people.”
Additional resources:
- At Different Times in Life, Robin Pierucci, M.D., M.A.
- Fact Sheet: Fetal Survival and Risk of Pregnancy Loss, Charlotte Lozier Institute
- A Scientific View of When Life Begins, Maureen Condic, Ph.D.
