[JeffAtlanta]

By 13 and a half weeks responses are sufficiently elaborate and avoidant to warrant the definite conclusion that the fetus responds aversively, not reflexively. They evidence an integrated physiological attempt to escape noxious stimuli.

This contradicts the original posters claim that pain is felt by the 7th week but is in more in line with most studies I've seen

There are many ways to show that a first trimester fetus is really a human being. Its seems like it would be best to use the strong ones (beating heart, etc) rather than the ones that are suspect. It could cause credibility problems for the whole movement.

Pain in a fetus is a great point to raise for 2nd and 3rd trimester abortions though.

[Spiff]

We're splitting hairs here. Yes, that one study showed fetal pain at 8 weeks. Another shows it at 7.5 weeks.

Further support comes from the work of Fitzgerald (1987, 1994), who has reviewed the biological development of the fetus and examined the possibility of fetal pain at each stage of development. At 7.5 weeks’ gestation, reflex responses to somatic stimuli begin, and touching the perioral region results in a contralateral bending of the head.

The bottom line is that we should give these children the benefit of the doubt - we should err on the side of caution, should we not?

Let's work together to eliminate all abortions after the 6th week. Then we'll start discussing what to do about those before the 6th week.