Findings fuel abortion debate

The abortion debate is likely to be rekindled by new research which claims babies in the womb are in an unconscious state - and do not feel pain.

Last week, Professor David Mellor, a foetal physiologist of Massey University's Riddet Centre, revealed new insights into foetal development, claiming the foetus was asleep throughout its time in the womb and did not experience pain. The findings call into question the issue of whether foetuses feel pain during an abortion.

Anti-abortionists are not convinced by the findings and say they stand by their beliefs that the unborn child is aware and does feel pain.

They claimed a video, The Silent Scream, of a 12-week-old baby being aborted, showed it was screaming in the womb. "That would suggest the baby knew what was taking place and we stand by that," said David Fisk, a spokesman for Voice for Life (the former Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child). However, Wellington abortion doctor Rosy Fenwicke said she has yet to see convincing proof of those arguments. She believed the idea foetuses felt pain was a distraction to the abortion debate, used by anti-abortionists to promote the rights of the foetus above those the mother.

Dr Mellor said the new research would reassure mothers who had experienced traumatic births or lost a baby in-utero.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY