Here are some of the most commonly asked questions at Bella Online Pro-Life. Please feel free to write in with your own questions.

When does the baby's heart start beating?

Eighteen days after conception is when the baby's heart starts beating. Most mothers don't yet know they are pregnant at this early stage.

When do the lungs develop?

The lungs begin to develop at six weeks. They are fully functional at 12 weeks, meaning the baby is "breathing" amniotic fluid in a fully developed breathing pattern. (The baby will continue to get oxygen provided by his umbilical cord until his birth, when he or she takes his first breath of air in the outside world.)

Many detractors claim that a baby isn't a living human being until he or she has been born. When does the baby have everything we (adults) have, and only needs to grow before being born?

Great question! At 10 or 11 weeks gestation all the major life functions are in place and functioning to some degree. Keep in mind, though, that these processes have to undergo major maturation before the baby can survive outside of the womb.

What is the earliest that a premature baby can survive outside of the womb?

Twenty weeks is the earliest premature birth that has survived. Survivals before 23 weeks are extremely rare. With medical technology constantly changing and improving, these numbers will hopefully become obsolete in the future.