No Foetal Pain Before 24 Weeks

BBC Online ^ | 6/24/10 | Branwen Jeffreys

[originalbuckeye]

Abortions are permitted after 24 weeks on medical grounds There is no new evidence to show foetuses feel pain in the womb before 24 weeks, and so no reason to challenge the abortion limit, doctors say. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' review said foetuses are "undeveloped and sedated". Brain connections are not fully formed, and the environment of the womb creates a state of induced sleep, like unconsciousness, they add. Anti-abortion campaigners are likely to challenge the reports. The issue of whether a foetus of 24 weeks or below can feel pain had been raised in the debate over whether the current time limit for abortion should be reduced. An up-to-date analysis of evidence was recommended by MPs in a report from the Commons Science and Technology committee during the last parliament. They looked at the 1967 Abortion Act, which covers all parts of the UK apart from Northern Ireland. Abortion grounds The Royal College's reviews of existing evidence examined whether or not a foetus can experience pain. It also tried to define what mental and physical abnormalities could result in a "serious handicap". Around 1% of abortions are carried out on these grounds. Such terminations can take place after 24 weeks. In the past, campaigners concerned about the abortion law have argued that this has been interpreted too widely to include relatively minor disabilities. But the Royal College said in its second report that it would not be practical to try to produce a list of conditions that would constitute serious handicap because it was too difficult to predict the long-term impact of an abnormality on a child or on their family. Supporters of the current abortion law have welcomed this report, arguing that even within one condition there may be a wide range of severity.

[reagan_fanatic]

Given this logic, it should be legal to shoot someone in the head as they sleep, since death would be so quick they’d have no time to feel any pain.

[blueyon]

“This is absolute BS .........”

AGREED...That was my first response also!

May they get on their knees in repentance for this

[Servant of the Cross]

No matter what the political hack poseurs say, the science is clear:

PREBORN - 11 WEEKS AFTER CONCEPTION

* HEART IS BEATING (SINCE 18-25 DAYS)
* BRAIN WAVES HAVE BEEN RECORDED AT 40 DAYS
* THE BABY SQUINTS, SWALLOWS, AND CAN MAKE A FIST
* THE BABY HAS FINGERPRINTS AND CAN KICK
* THE BABY IS SENSITIVE TO HEAT, TOUCH, LIGHT AND NOISE (AND therefore PAIN)
* THE BABY SUCKS HIS OR HER THUMB
* ALL BODY SYSTEMS ARE WORKING
* THE BABY WEIGHS ABOUT 1 OUNCE AND IS 2 1/2 TO 3 INCHES LONG
* THE BABY COULD FIT COMFORTABLY IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND

Silent Scream

[End Times Sentinel]

Any doubts I still may have had about the sanctity of life vanished at that moment.

Beautiful story.

I can't understand how anyone wouldn't be appalled by abortion once they've had a child of their own.

[xzins]

This is a ridiculous claim. 24 week babies survive premature births. In fact, I believe 21 week babies(y) have survived.

[Mrs. Don-o]

And the larger question --- as I'm sure you'lleagree --- is "So what?"

Is it really OK to assassinate somebody if, when you made the hit, they were unconcious, anesthetized, or asleep?

A Harvard Med School grad doctor once told me, "I don't know exactly when human life 'began.' If could have been one million years ago. But I do know that human life is TRANSMITTED to a new generation, every time a fertilization occurs."

[wagglebee]

You are correct. Babies at 24 weeks routinely survive and I have heard of babies surviving in at 21 to 22 weeks.

Any doctor will tell you that it is nearly impossible to pinpoint with absolute certainty how far along most pregnancies are (the only real exceptions are when the woman only had intercourse one time during the timeframe and happens to know the exact date).

This whole issue illustrates the FACT that the abortionists KNOW that they are killing a HUMAN LIFE. They can try all they want to hide behind the idea that it’s acceptable as long as there isn’t pain, but that is like saying that it’s okay to walk up to someone in the street and murder them as long as it’s painless.

[wagglebee]

"I don't know exactly when human life 'began.' If could have been one million years ago. But I do know that human life is TRANSMITTED to a new generation, every time a fertilization occurs."

I don't know who originally said it, but someone once said, "any teenage boy who has ever bought a box of condoms KNOWS when life begins."

[AliVeritas]

Children have been born at six months.

They’re quickening and moving months before that.

They kick before that as well.

Same beast, different name.

Convenient this comes out when Kagan’s support of Partial-Birth abortion (during Clinton), may come up.

[Sopater]

First, I highly doubt that it is possible to know what anyone can or cannot feel.

Regardless, does that makes killing them OK? Can we kill anyone who annoys us as long as they can't feel it?

[thethirddegree]

Abortionists and those who support abortion will stand before the Living God, Creator of all life, and explain why they favored destruction of His creation. I feel sorry for them.

[thethirddegree]

God bless you for caring for those little ones.

[Think free or die]

"I can't understand how anyone wouldn't be appalled by abortion once they've had a child of their own. "

That's a tough one, isn't it? We lost five babies (not by "choice") before our now 17 year old son was born. Every year at Christmas we remember them with special ornaments on the tree. Our two sons have the privilege of hanging those butterfly ornaments. They've often wondered aloud what those lost brothers and sisters would have been like, and both have said how much they would have enjoyed being part of a large family. These kinds of losses are felt by entire families, which makes it even harder to accept the notion of "a woman's right to choose".

[brothers4thID]

So what magical transformation takes place on the trip down the birth canal that suddenly lets infants feel pain? Infants born prematurely before 24 weeks gestation rarely survive, but it does happen and those tiniest of miracles always show reactions to pain.

[madison10]

Yes, I’ve heard about the partial-birth abortion procedure. Grotesque. PETA would be screaming if we were doing such to animals.

[Elsie]

Ideally, there is no PAIN with Legal Lethel Injection; either...

Ya still get the same results: one dead human.

[Bellflower]

It's called propaganda. They maneuver lies into facts by paid professional lackeys and then put them out there as often as possible so that they are available as proved “facts” as needed to continue to support their cold blooded butchery. It matters not in the least to them that they know that these “facts” are bold faced lies for they know that these lies will soon become societies accepted “facts”.

Soon the lies become so acceptable as truth that they then are used by them to to support other “facts” which are built upon the faulty foundation of sheer lies. It's the way of the world so buyers of truth need to beware not to accept so called accepted truth without deeply investigating it.