Ultrasounds showing a fetus's growth over time Some anthropologists have seen a trend toward earlier conceptions of fetal personhood due to improved sonogram imagery. (more) fetal personhood Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/fetal-personhood Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Tara Ramanathan Assistant Technology Editor at Encyclopedia Britannica. Tara Ramanathan Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Feb 28, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is fetal personhood? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Fetal personhood is a legal concept that designates human fetuses as entities that have rights and protections in the legal system. It may also apply to embryos or fertilized eggs." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How was fetal personhood viewed in ancient civilizations? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "In ancient Greece and Rome, fetuses were rarely considered legal persons. In Greece, they were given a status similar to a plant. The concept of u201Censoulmentu201D attempted to quantify when a fetus gained a soul, with differing opinions on when that occurred." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was the significance of u201Cquickeningu201D in the Middle Ages? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Quickening in the Middle Ages indicated when a pregnant woman could feel the fetus moving and was closely connected with ensoulment. It was used to determine when a fetus would be considered a person." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How did the Roe v. Wade decision affect fetal personhood discussions in the United States? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 established the legal right to an abortion, which led to increased discussions about fetal personhood. Abortion opponents thought that fetal personhood could lead to the end of legal abortions in the United States." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was the outcome of LePage v. Center for Reproductive Medicine? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "In 2024 the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos must be considered u201Cunborn children,u201D applying the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act to all unborn children, including those not in utero, thereby limiting in vitro fertilization (IVF) use in Alabama." } } ] } Top Questions What is fetal personhood? Fetal personhood is a legal concept that designates human fetuses as entities that have rights and protections in the legal system. It may also apply to embryos or fertilized eggs.

　　How was fetal personhood viewed in ancient civilizations? In ancient Greece and Rome, fetuses were rarely considered legal persons. In Greece, they were given a status similar to a plant. The concept of “ensoulment” attempted to quantify when a fetus gained a soul, with differing opinions on when that occurred.

　　What was the significance of “quickening” in the Middle Ages? Quickening in the Middle Ages indicated when a pregnant woman could feel the fetus moving and was closely connected with ensoulment. It was used to determine when a fetus would be considered a person.

　　How did the Roe v. Wade decision affect fetal personhood discussions in the United States? The Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 established the legal right to an abortion, which led to increased discussions about fetal personhood. Abortion opponents thought that fetal personhood could lead to the end of legal abortions in the United States.

　　What was the outcome of LePage v. Center for Reproductive Medicine? In 2024 the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos must be considered “unborn children,” applying the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act to all unborn children, including those not in utero, thereby limiting in vitro fertilization (IVF) use in Alabama.

　　fetal personhood, aspect of legal personhood that designates human fetuses as entities that have rights and protections in the legal system. Laws that grant fetuses legal personhood may also apply to embryos or fertilized eggs, stages that occur before the fetal stage. The fetal personhood issue has increasingly gained relevance in the 21st century and fundamentally affects the legality of abortion. The Babylonian Code of Hammurabi (c. 1772 bce) contains the first known mention of laws regarding abortion. If an incident of violence against a pregnant woman resulted in either the woman dying or a miscarriage, the perpetrator faced fines ...(100 of 785 words)

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