What is the difference between a child in the womb and a child cuddled in a mother's arms? Some would suggest that the one is a "fetus" and the other is a "baby". Is there truly a difference? Or, is this an effort to dehumanize the unborn, and to allow the "rights" of one person (the mother) to hold complete sway over the destiny of another person (the unborn)?
At the union of sperm (the seed of man) and egg (the seed of woman), a new life begins. Although various medical terms may be used to describe that developing child, it is still a child. No other parts or pieces will be brought into the womb to complete the child after this fertilization. With proper nutrition, and without interference (either natural or unnatural) this child will move from an unborn state to a born state in due time.
Referring to the unborn as a fetus does not negate the fact that they are a child. According to Webster's Dictionary, a fetus is "an unborn or unhatched vertebrate esp. after attaining the basic structural plan of its kind; specif. a developing human usu. three months after conception to birth"(Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, p. 458). The key here is found in the expression "unborn". A fetus is an "unborn" baby. It has not yet made its entrance into this world, but it truly exists within the womb of a woman.
The Angel of the Lord revealed to Hagar, Sarah's handmaiden, "Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael,..." (Genesis 16:11). A similar thing is said of Lot's daughters in Genesis 19:36; and of Rachel (the wife of Isaac) in Genesis 25:23. Not only did God recognize a child as being in the womb, in this passage in Genesis 25:23, but He also spoke of the potential and future nations that would result from these children (and all of this while they were still unborn; cf. Romans 9:11).
Samaria "rebelled against her God" and as a result God revealed through Hosea that terrible difficulties would befall them, "They shall fall by the sword, their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child ripped open" (Hosea 13:16). Again, notice that the pregnant women were considered to be "with child" in God's sight. To impress the horrific nature of punishment against them God even reveals that those "with child" will be "ripped open".
Studies in medicine may give us insight into the physical development within the womb, but long before modern medicine, God revealed what was unfolding in the womb. Here is what the Psalmist revealed by inspiration: "For You formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them." (Psalms 139:13-16)(NKJ). The unborn certainly is a real live person, an identifiable "me", and God is aware of him/her.
In light of the Scriptures, the unborn (whether you call it a "fetus" or a "child") is a living person. God is aware of their existence and development. Any intervention on the part of man to terminate a viable pregnancy must be recognized for what it is, the termination of a human life (by destroying a living, though unborn child).