Unborn baby cannot feel pain before abortion limit: report
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Avnish Jolly
Jun 26, 2010, 12:14:04 PM6/26/10
to SAFE - Social Action Foundation for Equity
Unborn baby cannot feel pain before abortion limit: report
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7854109/Unborn-baby-cannot-feel-pain-before-abortion-limit-report.html
The human feotus cannot feel pain before 24 weeks, the latest research
has found, destroying one of the arguments for lowering the current
abortion limit.
By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
Published: 8:00AM BST 26 Jun 2010
Link to this video Research from the Royal College of Obstetricians
and Gynaecologists has found that the feotus cannot experience pain
before 24 weeks and is kept in an unconscious state while in the
womb.
The findings mean there is no scientific reason to reduce the abortion
limit from the current 24 weeks, experts said.
Campaigners had argued that the abortion limit for 'social reasons'
should be reduced after emotive detailed scans of the feotus showed it
fully formed, smiling, and making walking movements in the womb.
The reports were commissioned by the government to update the latest
medical research last published in 1997.
It was found that connections in the brain are not fully formed until
after 24 weeks meaning that the feotus is unable to feel pain and has
no awareness.
It means that surgery conducted in the womb before 24 weeks does not
need to be carried out with painkillers and has no benefit. It was
suggested that because the feotus is effectively unconscious at this
gestation, painkillers and anaesthetic may be harmful.
A second report also concluded that it would be unrealistic to
determine a list of conditions for which it was 'acceptable' to abort
beyond 24 weeks.
The question had been raised in response to concerns that women were
aborting babies under the clause in the Act that they may be born with
a 'serious handicap' but the feotus had in reality only minor
abnormalities that can be corrected such as a cleft lip.
To reflect new research findings and the advances in clinical
practice, both original documents have been completely rewritten.
These two new reports contain information for clinicians, researchers
and health care professionals and the report on Fetal Awareness
includes a new chapter with practical information and advice to women
and parents.
Professor Allan Templeton, chairman of the Fetal Awareness Working
Party said: “These two reports represent an extensive review of the
scientific and clinical literature, and I am grateful to the many
people who contributed and in particular to the members of the two
working parties.
“I believe we now have robust and updated guidance for health care
professionals.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7854109/Unborn-baby-cannot-feel-pain-before-abortion-limit-report.html
The human feotus cannot feel pain before 24 weeks, the latest research
has found, destroying one of the arguments for lowering the current
abortion limit.
By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor
Published: 8:00AM BST 26 Jun 2010
Link to this video Research from the Royal College of Obstetricians
and Gynaecologists has found that the feotus cannot experience pain
before 24 weeks and is kept in an unconscious state while in the
womb.
The findings mean there is no scientific reason to reduce the abortion
limit from the current 24 weeks, experts said.
Campaigners had argued that the abortion limit for 'social reasons'
should be reduced after emotive detailed scans of the feotus showed it
fully formed, smiling, and making walking movements in the womb.
The reports were commissioned by the government to update the latest
medical research last published in 1997.
It was found that connections in the brain are not fully formed until
after 24 weeks meaning that the feotus is unable to feel pain and has
no awareness.
It means that surgery conducted in the womb before 24 weeks does not
need to be carried out with painkillers and has no benefit. It was
suggested that because the feotus is effectively unconscious at this
gestation, painkillers and anaesthetic may be harmful.
A second report also concluded that it would be unrealistic to
determine a list of conditions for which it was 'acceptable' to abort
beyond 24 weeks.
The question had been raised in response to concerns that women were
aborting babies under the clause in the Act that they may be born with
a 'serious handicap' but the feotus had in reality only minor
abnormalities that can be corrected such as a cleft lip.
To reflect new research findings and the advances in clinical
practice, both original documents have been completely rewritten.
These two new reports contain information for clinicians, researchers
and health care professionals and the report on Fetal Awareness
includes a new chapter with practical information and advice to women
and parents.
Professor Allan Templeton, chairman of the Fetal Awareness Working
Party said: “These two reports represent an extensive review of the
scientific and clinical literature, and I am grateful to the many
people who contributed and in particular to the members of the two
working parties.
“I believe we now have robust and updated guidance for health care
professionals.”
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