Ambiguities Lost Fashioning the Fetus into a Child in Ecuador and the United States

Abstract

Explores the intersection of North American right-to-life discourse with cultural notions of the fetus & infant in rural Ecuador, where neither priests nor laypersons see a connection between fetal personhood & the morality of abortion. Perceptions of the fetus as the mysterious, sometimes dangerous, spirit of an unbaptized being permits varied beliefs about early abortion. The history of the US abortion debate is traced, arguing that current pro-life views do not represent "natural" or "universal" notions, but stem from political circumstances & social practices linked to specific historical/cultural contexts. It is contended that the Ecuadorian view allows for greater ambiguity, which is mirrored in social practice. The concept of auca (quasi-person) is discussed in relation to fetuses/newborns as a way that rural Catholics can accept the contradiction between the practice of abortion & Roman Catholic dictates. It is suggested that advanced biomedical technologies like the ultrasound, accompanied by the input of North American Protestant fundamentalism, may work together to bring rural people to view the fetus as a person. 28 References. J. Lindroth