'No foetal pain before 24 weeks'
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- CarolineS
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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, UK 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, and commissioned by the Department of Health.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10403496.stm
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, and commissioned by the Department of Health.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10403496.stm
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- tags:
- Abortion, Body, Womens Rights, Childbirth, 1 more
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nursediesel
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This can be deceiving. Maybe the neural pathways are different...maybe the fetus feels the pain but the neural pathways to react to the stimuli of pain are not developed completely.
This argument will continue on back and forth with no resolution because we don't know all there is to know regarding the brain...and may never completely know.
We also know no two people are identical(identical twins excluded)...not all of us get diabetes, not all of us react to allergens, not all of us experience pain in the same way.... - 1 year ago
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nursediesel
