What Does Viability Mean, and How Likely Is a Fetus

question 191

Essay

What does viability mean, and how likely is a fetus to be viable at 22 weeks? At 26 weeks? Why would this vary depending on whether a person lives in a developed or a developing country? What is the main obstacle to viability even by the beginning of the third trimester?

---

Definitions:

Iroquois

A historically powerful northeast Native American confederacy known for its political and organizational skills, encompassing several tribes.

Huron Nation

A confederation of four Iroquoian-speaking Native American tribes who lived in the Great Lakes region, known for their role in the fur trade in the 17th century.

English Civil Wars

A series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians ("Roundheads") and Royalists ("Cavaliers") in England in the mid-17th century over governance and religious issues.

Oliver Cromwell

A key figure in English history who led the parliamentary forces in the English Civil War and later served as the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland.