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A full-term child is not a theoretical entity. It is not an abstract concept. It is not a clump of cells. It is a living, viable human being who, if delivered, mere hours later would be held in a mother’s arms, placed in a cot, given a name, registered as a citizen and received into the world with joy. At 39 weeks, a child is not merely viable; she or he is fully developed. Her lungs can breathe air, her brain has undergone crucial maturation and she can experience pain. In every maternity ward, thousands of babies are delivered safely at 39 weeks. Their lives are celebrated. Their cries echo through the corridors.