"In the 1980s, we saved 26-weekers. Now, that's nothing," he said. "We're pushing into 24, 23 and 22 weeks. Even 20 weeks is not unreasonable."
Other physicians, however, say the 1987 article includes no conclusive evidence of fetal pain at 20 weeks. They instead point to a March 2010 article from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and a 2005 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"Connections from the periphery to the cortex are not intact before 24 weeks of gestation and, as most neuroscientists believe that the cortex is necessary for pain perception, it can be concluded that the fetus cannot experience pain in any sense prior to this gestation," the Royal College article states.
"Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that the fetus never experiences a state of true wakefulness in utero and is kept, by the presence of its chemical environment, in a continuous sleeplike unconsciousness or sedation."
Dr. David Grimes, a clinical professor at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine who has done his own research in the area of abortions and contraception during his 39 years as an obstetrician, said he believes nerves don't reach the brain until the 26th week of pregnancy.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2012/03/09/20120309arizona-abortion-bill-stirs-debate-fetal-pain.html#ixzz1pOBeNzkn
---SPSmith
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