Is the fertilized human egg a person?

The Hindu : Sci-Tech / Science : Is the fertilized human egg a person?

After reading this article I am feeling that how absurd is the thinking of American people. How can we think a separate existence for a fertilized human egg from its mother? Person-hood is achieved only after birth of a child. Inside the uterus it is the part of the mother. A person can be defined as an individual who has separate existence from his fellow beings with independent vital functions. A fertilized has no separate existence. It is dependent on its mother for its vital functions like respiration, digestion, circulation and excretion. So it cannot be considered as a person.