TRUE

Scientific consensus and medical research establish that a human embryo or fetus is a distinct, self-developing organism with its own unique genetic identity 1 20. At the moment of fertilization, genetic material from the mother and father combines to form a unique genome that determines the individual's traits 6 16. While a fetus inherits approximately 50 percent of its chromosomes from each parent 3 17, the resulting combination creates a completely new and separate DNA sequence 5 18. By the fifth or sixth day after conception, the embryo begins activating its own genome as it transitions from relying on maternal RNA 15. This genetic distinctness is so pronounced that scientists can determine a fetus's entire genetic make-up through a simple blood test from the mother, as the fetal DNA is identifiable as separate from her own 8. Even in specialized medical procedures involving material from three people, the resulting child possesses a distinct and unique genetic profile 7.