# If personhood becomes legally granted at the time of conception, do we all age 9 months? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2021, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699 "2021-10-18T17:30:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/1 "2021-10-18T17:30:17Z")
With the issues with abortion popping up across the country and RvW potentially on the chopping block, I would suspect that someone may try to pass a law granting legal personhood at conception. Now that does not change one’s birthday, though it may get one another celebration of conception day/ personhood day. But if that law goes into effect would it change one’s age, adding the time in the womb to the time outside the womb? Could one drive, vote, drink, collect social security 9 months sooner? etc 9 months before the respective birthday? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/2 "2021-10-18T17:56:04Z")
If motherhood starts at inception then child support and all medical expenses should be due from the father, starting from that date! If a women’s body autonomy can be regulated by the state, then the state should also be able to enforce vaccination requirements on ALL citizens! ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/3 "2021-10-18T19:49:31Z")
Interesting musings > [@elbows](#): > > If motherhood starts at inception then child support and all medical expenses should be due from the father, starting from that date! I guess that would depend on the law, which I’m wondering about, and if those support obligations would expire 9 months earlier > [@elbows](#): > > If a women’s body autonomy can be regulated by the state, then the state should also be able to enforce vaccination requirements on ALL citizens! While not exactly the same, in one a woman would not be allowed to interfere with her body’s natural process, in the other the state is interfering with one’s natural body’s process, it’s good for a talking point. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/4 "2021-10-18T20:05:19Z")
This most likely wouldn’t happen, simply due to the sheer difficulty (and embarrassment) of trying to calculate the exact time one was conceived. Most likely, age and everything is considered and applied the same as today. The only difference is that abortion would be treated very differently. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/5 "2021-10-18T20:45:39Z")
No. The concept of age as being the time since birth has a long legal tradition (and is explicitly defined in some places) and a law granting rights prior to birth would not change those definitions. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/6 "2021-10-19T02:44:10Z")
Depending on how frisky your parents were, you would never know your birthday! Or hour. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/7 "2021-10-19T05:31:15Z")
Or who. Could put a crimp on Mother’s and Father’s Day gift sales. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/8 "2021-10-19T06:54:52Z")
A post was merged into an existing topic: [RangerLoops troll posts](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rangerloops-troll-posts/952741/20) ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/9 "2021-10-19T15:07:16Z")
Yes, but suddenly the average human life span would increase by nine months. Whoopie! ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/10 "2021-10-19T15:38:27Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > This most likely wouldn’t happen, simply due to the sheer difficulty (and embarrassment) of trying to calculate the exact time one was conceived. We knew the date of my daughter’s conception. I was living at the time in New York for work related reasons. I returned home to do laundry, etc and the etc resulted in a pregnancy. We had given up on attempting after _years_ of working with a fertility clinic, FSH/LH injections, etc. We had tried everything affordable and had drawn the line at IVF, which my wife’s doctor thought was our only hope. My daughter was born on her due date which was calculated using a known conception date. She remains punctual. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/11 "2021-10-19T16:12:36Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > …I was living at the time in New York for work related reasons. I returned home to do laundry, etc and the etc resulted in a pregnancy… We all get an another story, for good or bad. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/12 "2021-10-19T16:23:23Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > es, but suddenly the average human life span would increase by nine months. Whoopie! True. But it would also take an extra 9 months to become a grownup. Besides the already-mentioned difficulties of establishing the date of conception, this is the main reason why the OP’s idea would never happen. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/13 "2021-10-19T16:46:25Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Yes, but suddenly the average human life span would increase by nine months. Whoopie! Not enough to compensate for the drop from Covid. 😧 ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/14 "2021-10-19T16:46:53Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > True. But it would also take an extra 9 months to become a grownup. 9 months shorter as one would get credit for time in the womb towards adulthood the way I see it. Why would it take longer? ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/15 "2021-10-19T18:30:08Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Why would it take longer? Because there’s nothing magical about 18 years (or whatever your preferred age is). Society sees that people mature at a certain point in their lives, and they make rules/laws about that. A person will be at the same maturity level either 18 years after birth, or 18 years and 9 months after conception. When they have aged 18 years since conception they will NOT have matured quite that much yet. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/16 "2021-10-19T18:55:32Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > Because there’s nothing magical about 18 years (or whatever your preferred age is). Society sees that people mature at a certain point in their lives, and they make rules/laws about that. A person will be at the same maturity level either 18 years after birth, or 18 years and 9 months after conception. When they have aged 18 years since conception they will NOT have matured quite that much yet. Then it would be the same time is it is now, not longer. However if the law states 18 years of age then it would be shorter (such as the constitutional requirement for president of the US at age 35), if it says on one’s 18th birthday then it would be the same as today. If you are basing it on equal maturity then it would be the same as today (though 17 and 3/12ths is close enough to 18 that I’m not sure such a distinction would be meaningful enough) ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/17 "2021-10-21T15:36:39Z")
On the other hand, how would those most likely to argue for personhood at conception take to the idea that they’d be giving the vote at 17yr3m? ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/18 "2021-10-21T18:06:15Z")
Easy. Just extend their voter suppression laws to include young people (assuming this is the US we’re talking about). ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/19 "2021-10-21T19:15:00Z")
In the children’s novel _In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson_, by Bette Bao Lord, a young girl who’s just immigrated to the U.S. from China adds nine months to what Americans consider her age because (according to the book) China does count from the time of conception. So she winds up skipping a grade. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699/20 "2021-10-21T19:36:00Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > But if that law goes into effect would it change one’s age, adding the time in the womb to the time outside the womb? Could one drive, vote, drink, collect social security 9 months sooner? etc 9 months before the respective birthday? No, of course not. We already have the concept of fetal age. This ends at birth, at which time we start counting age since that day. We’re not redefining the concept of “birthday”, upon which all our legal conceptions of age rely, so nothing would need to change there. I expect fetal personhood would cause massive clusterfucks in many other areas of law, but I’m not really qualified to speculate on that. Suffice to say I disagree with anyone declaring a fetus to be a person except the person carrying it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-personhood-becomes-legally-granted-at-the-time-of-conception-do-we-all-age-9-months/952699.md?page=2)