British Academics Produce Research Indicating That Fetuses May Feel Pain After 13 Weeks

British scientists have discovered that fetuses may be able to feel pain after 13 weeks in the womb, making the abortion process seem even more gruesome.

Before this study, it was generally accepted that fetuses started feeling pain after 24 weeks in the womb. The findings of the scientists cast serious doubt on the conventional wisdom of the medical industry. The scientists believe that women should be notified that fetuses can feel pain before abortions are performed.

They wrote in the Journal of Medical Ethics that it “flirts with moral recklessness” to withhold this new information from pregnant women who have been led to believe by the medical industry that the a fetus cannot feel pain at that stage of the pregnancy.

One of the authors of the study is a long-time proponent of abortion. British professor Stuart Derbyshire, who has served as a consultant to the Pro-Choice Forum in Britain and for Planned Parenthood, wrote the study with a cohort. Previously, Derbyshire had said that pregnant women not being informed about fetal pain was “sound policy based on good evidence that fetuses cannot experience pain.”

“Given the evidence that the fetus might be able to experience something like pain during later abortions, it seems reasonable that the clinical team and the pregnant woman are encouraged to consider fetal analgesia [pain relief],” wrote Derbyshire and his co-author Dr. John Bockmann, an American medic.

Abortion providers are in denial about the study’s findings.

“The most comprehensive review of this issue to date concluded a fetus cannot experience pain before 24 weeks,” said Clare Murphy of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, the largest abortion provider in the UK.

The pro-life community feels vindicated by the findings of the study, but feel the authors’ suggestion to use fetal anesthesia during abortions as a consequence is abhorrent.

“There is nothing in this paper which would lead to a change in practice,” said Dr. Anthony McCarthy of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. “A society that claims to take seriously animal pain should not shrink from confronting pain inflicted on young human beings in the name of ‘choice.'”

“Making death painless for the one killed does not, however, mean that taking life is thereby justified,” he added.

“Given developing views and research on fetal pain, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ guidance on this issue in relation to abortion – which is now nearly ten years old – should be reviewed,” said pro-life member of parliament Fiona Bruce.

“This new evidence adds further pressure on Parliament to urgently review our current abortion time limit. We last had a proper debate on time limits in 2008,” said member of parliament Lord David Alton.

New revelations in recent months – including certain abortion providers conducting a fetal chop shop of sorts to huge profits – have confirmed the worst fears of the pro-life movement. This new study is another indicator that abortion providers are engaging in rank barbarism.

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