Life Begins Now (Part 2)

I intended to finish explaining my list of opinions about when life begins today, but the next subject is so sticky and deep that I decided to devote this entire blog post to it.

Some believe life begins:

·        When the baby can feel pain.

At the very least, by this time it seems cruel to dismember the fetus. Few people would want to hurt helpless beings, whether they are people or not. When something can feel pain, that something is conscious in some way shape or form. And when something is conscious human being, it’s hard to argue that the something isn’t a person.

However, those with this opinion usually aren't aware just how early babies begin to feel pain. There is a lot of debate, naturally, over when this happens. Currently, a new Kansas law prohibits most abortions past twenty weeks. Other states (I’m unsure about the exact number, as many have been debating and/or passing them recently) now have similar laws.

“At 20 weeks, the fetal brain has the full complement of brain cells present in adulthood, ready and waiting to receive pain signals from the body, and their electrical activity can be recorded by standard electroencephalography (EEG).”
— Dr. Paul Ranalli, neurologist, University of Toronto

An unborn baby at 20 weeks gestation “is fully capable of experiencing pain. … Without question, [abortion] is a dreadfully painful experience for any infant subjected to such a surgical procedure.”
— Robert J. White, M.D., PhD., professor of neurosurgery, Case Western University

Both quotes from here.

Approximately twenty-eight years ago, Kanwaljeet Anand, a doctor who dealt with pre-term babies (preemies) was surprised to find that the infants suffered less trauma in the operation room when given anesthetic before the operation. Studying this, he found that “even the most premature [about 22 weeks] babies grimaced when pricked by a needle.”

Story found in the New York Times (Online).



Twenty weeks old



Overall, people generally agree that, perhaps we should assume that babies can feel pain up to twenty weeks. I did a Google search on fetal pain and all the articles I looked at, whether pro-abortion or pro-life, at least mentioned that it was possible (though maybe not likely) that babies could feel pain around twenty weeks.

Abby Johnson, former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic, left Planned Parenthood and joined the pro-life movement after helping with an ultrasound abortion—an abortion where the doctor watches a live ultrasound so he can see what he’s doing. The baby was thirteen weeks old. Abby watched as the baby struggled for her life, clawing, trying to get away from the vacuum probe. Obviously, that little “fetus” could feel the probe. If babies can feel touch, why would they not be able to feel pain?

Thirteen weeks old

Thirteen weeks. Not twenty. Wow, that’s early.

Wait, I’m not finished yet.

Twelve weeks old

The Silent Scream is a video of a week twelve ultrasound abortion. (I have yet to see this video, mostly because my internet security program blocks it, understandably. I am also afraid to see it. I’ve seen the aftermath of abortion but watching it happen, watching murder happen—that’s different.) Though I haven't yet seen it myself, from the reports I've read the baby struggles for its life...and then screams.

But I’m suggesting earlier still. This quote taken from abortionfacts.com (The entire article is excellent and easy to read, if you want more facts than I am presenting here.).

“By this age [eight weeks] the neuro-anatomic structures are present. What is needed is (1) a sensory nerve to feel the pain and send a message to (2) the thalamus, a part of the base of the brain, and (3) motor nerves that send a message to that area. These are present at 8 weeks. The pain impulse goes to the thalamus. It sends a signal down the motor nerves to pull away from the hurt.”

Eight weeks old

Eight weeks. Weeks six to eight are when a majority of abortions are done.

Seven weeks old

 As if that wasn’t bad enough, there’s still another fact that makes it even more painful:

"Far from being less able to feel pain, such premature newborns may be more sensitive to pain"...that babies under 30 weeks have a "newly established pain system that is raw and unmodified at this tender age." P. Ranalli, Neuro. Dept., Univ. of Toronto

Last two quotes from here.

What’s more, something that can feel pain is at least partially conscious.

Unconscious people don’t shy away from vacuum probes.

Six weeks old

Images "Thirteen" "Twelve" "Seven" and "Six" were found here. All other images found via Google Images. No copyright infringement intended.