[Avodah] treif anatomy

[Joseph C. Kaplan]

"The example usually given is the permissability to be mechalel Shabbos
to save a baby after 8 months even thugh chazal thought such babies are
not viable. ALTHOUGH, I mentioned a month ago the Y-mi Yevamos 24b which
indicates that this is only true of 9 month babies. 7 month babies could
be born late in the 8th month and are viable. And since you never know
which a baby is, I think this Y-mi is a basis in Chazal for saying you
save the baby because it's safeiq piquach nefesh."

I don't understand. Didn't Chazal mean SOMETHING when they said that fetuses in the 8th month are not viable?  Or was it only a theoretical statement (that now appears scientifically incorrect) that never had any practical application?

As an aside, I've thought for a long time that "nishtaneh hatevah" is a concept that separates MO from Chareidim.

Joseph
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