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No, human fetus is not your typical parasite.
Yes, fetus is dependent, so is the child, but both events are the major factors behind reproductive success of the mother itself. Will women continue to exist in absence of a ‘parasitic’ pregnancy? If nature selected this process for human reproduction, it doesn’t matter where it evolved from.
Using the term “parasite” to describe fetus is a plain rhetorical strategy aimed at dehumanizing and degrading fetus, making it easier to morally justify abortions. Although this article doesn’t support the extreme pro-life agenda, it does emphasize dignifying the human value of fetus. Using the terms like parasite or invader in reference to fetus is an attempt to manipulate emotional perception of maternal process rather than providing the facts and data to support the argument.
For a common man, the term “parasite” suggests something unwanted and harmful. Using “parasite” to describe a fetus is…