English: Picture illustrates the ontological status of the preembryo, embryo, and fetus. Dr. Ford (1988) has suggested the term proembryo for the preembryo stage of development. It is the preimplantation, post fertilization stage in the human life cycle, where we have at least one new human being, but not yet an individual human being and thus not yet a person. From the formation of the primitive streak (shortly following the completion of implantation), individuality has been established, however there is debate as to whether this individual human being is, or should be considered, a person.

(o) indicates the (natural) standard reproductive and embrogenic pathway, while (mz) indicates all the possible pathways for a monozygotic twin (/c indicates a clone created by either SCNT or ANT), (ch) indicates all the possible pathways for a chimeric individual, (dz) indicates the pathway of a dizygotic twin, (en) indicates an enucleated oocyte, (m) indicates a hydatidiform mole, (cm) indicates a complete hydatidiform mole, (pm) indicates a partial hydatidiform mole, and (p) indicates parthenogenesis.

(O) indicates an oocyte, (Z) indicates a zygote, (M) indicates a morula, (B) indicates a blastocyst, (E) indicates an embryo, (F) indicates a fetus, (I) indicates a live born individual person. (PM) indicates a partial hydatidiform mole, (CM) indicates a complete hydatidiform mole, (T) indicates a teratoma.

The colors represent the maternal and paternal genetic contributions.

There is an error which needs to be fixed, the arrow indicating fetal mortality needs to be pointing to still birth, at this stage mortality is no longer considered a spontaneous abortion.

Created by Anthony Giovanone, Saint Michael's College, Vt. Graphic design by Hound Dog Graphics, Saratoga Springs, NY.

Contact agiovanone@smcvt.edu.