The informed, capable public opinion campaigns by activists on both
sides of the abortion debate have, over the course of more than thirty
years, loaded the language to the point where it is difficult to select
neutral terms.
In a medical or scientific context, the medical terms (cervix, uterus,
vagina) are more appropriate since these are the terms used by the
medical and scientific community. They are also better defined inasmuch
as terms like "birth canal" may mean "vagina" to one person and have a
broader definition to another. However, some abortion foes may argue
that the scientific terms are an attempt to sanitize the discussion and
hide the real meaning.
"Womb," particularly, is used in religious writings and for most readers
has connotations of motherliness that the more scientific terms lack.
Abortion foes know this and utilize "womb" in their communications.
All of this is just a warmup for trying to get people to agree on
whether to use "baby" or "fetus."
Louis
who has seen way too much to have any opinion on abortion