Aimee Herd : Jul 20, 2012 : Steven Ertelt – Lifenews.com

"The functioning neurological structures necessary to suffer pain are developed early in a child's development in the womb."

(Washington, DC)—LifeNews.com is reporting that the US House committee, this week, approved the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Act (H.R. 3803), which would stop the current policy of unlimited abortions throughout the entire pregnancy for any reason, in DC.

The bill would make abortion illegal in the nation's capital after 22 weeks of pregnancy, except to prevent the mother's death.

The bill is based on the issue of pre-born babies feeling pain, and at what fetal age that begins. According to the report, scientific evidence reveals that after 22 weeks gestation (or 20 weeks post-conception), the unborn child not only feels pain, but that "they feel it more acutely because pain 'dampeners' do not fully develop until 40 weeks gestation."

Wednesday's House Panel vote (18-14 in favor) followed a National RTL poll that "found 63% of all respondents, and 70 % of women who responded, favor banning abortion after the point where the unborn child can feel pain."

H.R. 3803 is sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks, and currently has 215 House cosponsors. There is a companion bill in the Senate (S. 2103) which has 30 cosponsors. As you can imagine, great opposition from pro-abortion groups is coming against the measures.

Dr. Steven Zielinski, an internal medicine physician from Oregon, and colleagues Dr. Vincent J. Collins and Thomas J. Marzen researched and reported on fetal pain.

In their findings, they wrote: "The functioning neurological structures necessary to suffer pain are developed early in a child's development in the womb.

"Functioning neurological structures necessary for pain sensation are in place as early as 8 weeks, but certainly by 13 1/2 weeks of gestation. Sensory nerves, including nociceptors, reach the skin of the fetus before the 9th week of gestation. The first detectable brain activity occurs in the thalamus between the 8th and 10th weeks. The movement of electrical impulses through the neural fibers and spinal column takes place between 8 and 9 weeks gestation. By 13 1/2 weeks, the entire sensory nervous system functions as a whole in all parts of the body."

With this knowledge, Dr. Zielinski testified before Congress that a pre-born child was able to experience pain by "eight-and-a-half weeks and possibly earlier," and could even cry "under the right circumstances."

   

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