Preborn babies feel pain as early as six weeks

Earlier this year, a study published in the journal Cell documented that as early as the first trimester a preborn baby has produced an adult-like nervous system pattern, concluding that pain is real to the in utero child.

Dr. Anita Showalter, associate dean for clinical education at Pacific Northwest University, tells OneNewsNow that doctors doing surgery in utero on preborn babies know they can feel pain – otherwise, why else would they give the babies anesthesia?


"This most recent study shows that the early development of the nerves in the fingers and the extremities is much more developed than we had thought earlier," explains Showalter. "Those early [in utero] observations could be true that the fetus actually is feeling pain."

Other studies suggest preborn babies feel pain as early as six weeks, and Showalter points out that society puts a lot of value into not causing pain in any creatures.

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