Democratic Underground - Fetuses First Perceive Pain at 35 to 37 Weeks, Study Suggests

Fetuses First Perceive Pain at 35 to 37 Weeks, Study Suggests [View All]

Omaha Steve

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Fri Sep-16-11 09:04 PM
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Fetuses First Perceive Pain at 35 to 37 Weeks, Study Suggests

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Blows the anti-abortion time line out of the water.

http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/News2?abbr=daily4_&page=NewsArticle&id=30404&security=1521&news_iv_ctrl=-1

September 13, 2011 — Premature infants begin to discern pain from touch at about 35 to 37 weeks of gestation, about two to four weeks before typical delivery, according to a new study in the journal Current Biology, ABC News reports. The findings could shed light on a point of contention in the abortion-rights debate and potentially affect clinical care for preterm infants.

Researchers used electroencephalography to compare preterm infants' brain activity in response to a touch and a heel prick. Infants born at 28 to 35 weeks of development showed comparable brain activity for the touch and heel prick, but infants born at more than 35 weeks of gestation exhibited a greater response to the heel prick than the touch.

MORE at link.

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Fetuses First Perceive Pain at 35 to 37 Weeks, Study Suggests [View All]