Should a Fetus Get "protective Custody"?

Opinions are like tail ends, every body has one. My question is who is right and who is wrong. Where should the boundary of responsibility begin and end? Does life begin at conception, or does it begin as the first breath of air reaches the infant's lungs after birth occurs? The fact is that this has been a controversial issue since long before I was born, and I fear that the arguments will continue long after I am gone. All I know is my own opinion and that is that an infant is alive from the moment of conception and it should be protected at all costs.

Let me elaborate a little from my own experience. As I stated before in another post, Abortion became legal in 1973. I was born Feb. 9, 1973. I was supposed to be an abortion. Why you ask? Because my mother was a fifteen-year-old, high school drop out who didn't have a pot to pee in. My grandfather wanted to drag her to New York to get rid of me. Instead my mother held her ground, married my father and gave me life. In return I have been given the chance to help hundreds, maybe even thousands of people. I am grateful for her decision and her choice is the reason for my bias.

The fact is people; I believe that it was unfair that anyone had the right to wish me away, to delete my chance to breath, to eliminate my being. I know that there are far too many children who meet this sad, inhumane ending and many of those children could have had loving homes, even if it weren't with their biological parents.

Further more I do not feel that one parent should be able to make a decision about a child's existence. I believe that once conception happens, both parents have the obligation to protect the fetus until it's born and IF neither parent is willing to do so, then I feel it is up to the state/government to provide that protection. This includes, but is not limited to... medical attention, life saving care, in house treatment for addiction, or any other procedure that would be deemed necessary in order to assure as healthy as possible start for the baby.

Now before I get steamed for such an opinion let me say that I understand that there are unique circumstances that make abortion necessary. I agree w/ Rape/incest if the typical 48-72 hours have passed. But let's face it, Medical science has come a long way, and the morning after pill can prevent unwanted pregnancies. In this day and age me do not have to murder children after conception we can simply utilize the many preventatives that are available.