Fetal Pain Legislation

Today's Chicago Tribune has an interesting column on the logic of those opposing the Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act, which would require that "a patient who is 20 or more weeks into a pregnancy . . . be advised of the scientific evidence that the fetus experiences pain during an abortion. Her doctor would have to offer anesthetics for the fetus. The doctor would also be free to state his or her views on the subject." To the columnist, the decency of the proposed legislation is obvious, whether or not one believes that abortion should be outlawed:

One of the most dramatic medical advances of recent years has been the use of surgery to correct birth defects--before birth. Surgeons can operate on fetuses in the womb for a variety of conditions, from life-threatening tumors to spina bifida. When they operate, it may surprise you to learn, they provide anesthesia not only to the mother but also to the fetus.

Or maybe it doesn't surprise you. Maybe it seems obvious that fetuses can feel pain long before they emerge into the world. But some people wish you wouldn't think about that fact.

In truth, [the Act is not anti-choice because] it would have no effect whatsoever on a woman's right to end a pregnancy. All it would do is recognize that if a fetus is going to be destroyed, there's something to be said for doing it in the most humane way possible.

Rob