Gift of Life said this morning it completely rejected attempts at redefining the beginning of human life.

The pro-life group was referring to a statement made by the director of obstetrics and gynaecology Mark Brincat, who said that a clear distinction had to be made between fertilized eggs and embryos. In his comments to The Times, Dr Brincat pointed out that fertilised eggs may not develop into embryos.

Gift of Life said that fertilisation is universally accepted as being the very beginning of a human life.

It said attempts to create a second-class tier of human life due to its earlier stage of development was unacceptable.

“Just as a fertilised egg may not develop into an embryo, a fertilised egg may, in fact, go on to develop into one or even two embryos. Adopting a gradualist approach to human life will set a precedent and certainly open the doors to other forms of abuse against the unborn. It is a slippery slope that will help to justify other forms of discrimination at even later stages in an embryo’s or a foetus’s development.

“We urge the government to avoid embarking on such a dangerous approach to human life,” Gift of Life said.