At eight weeks a foetus has the ability to feel pain, it has a sensory nerve to feel pain, it has the thamulus, a part of the base of the brain which receives the pain message sent by the sensory nerve, and it also has motor nerves (which tell it to move away from the object causing pain).[i] Studies suggest that when there are manipulations occurring within the uterus (i.e. a form of pain to the foetus) the foetus moves (to escape the source of pain) and its heart rate changes[ii], as a response to the pain. We must take into consideration different abortion methods in the different stages in the development of this life. The amount of pain experienced by the child must be avoided or at least justified. One can safely assume, in accordance with the many studies that have been conducted that “It cannot be comfortable for the foetus to have a scalp electrode implanted on his skin, to have blood taken from the scalp or to suffer the skull compression that may occur even with spontaneous delivery. It is hardly surprising that infants delivered by difficult forceps extraction act as if they have a severe headache.”[iii] To add to all of this an unborn baby can feel up to five times the amount of pain an adult feels as they have not developed their pain inhibitors.
For the mother there is a range of complications, both physical and psychological, that occur from abortion. The risk of breast cancer later in life is increased; women who have had abortions have a 50% greater risk of getting breast cancer. There is more than double the risk if a woman's abortion was before the age of 18 or over the age of 30. [iv]. 1-14% of women will require a blood transfusion due to bleeding from abortion, and hepatitis can occur as a result of the blood transfusion. Anywhere from mild fever to death can occur as a result of an abortion (1-4 – 1-50 women) A woman can have an ectopic pregnancy, which is a pregnancy that occurs outside the uterus, if it is not discovered early enough, it will rupture, and the mother can bleed to death(if she does not have emergency surgery).[v]
After an abortion there is a 30% greater chance of having an ectopic pregnancy and after 2 or more abortions the increased risk of having an ectopic pregnancy is 160%. 1 out of 20 women suffer cervical damage due to abortion, this causes a 50% chance of miscarriage in the next pregnancy (if not treated during the pregnancy).Women who have had greater than two abortions have double the chance of first trimester miscarriages and ten times the number of second trimester miscarriages, following a vaginal abortion. There is a whole range of other physical complications that can occur to the mother, a few of them include: bladder injury, bowel injury (which can cause death if not treated early enough), perforation of the uterus and sterility.[vi]
Some of the psychological affects that abortion has on women are: the feelings of regret, sadness, guilt, anger and possibly numbness. Women may inherit depression disorders such as a lack of ability to concentrate, insomnia, despair and hopelessness. These difficulties may last for months or years. If someone experienced these symptoms before an abortion, it is expected they will worsen. Other psychological affects are an avoidance of babies, fear of future pregnancies, an attempt to become pregnant again in the hope to have a replacement child and flashbacks.
There is medical agreement that “the foetus within this time frame of gestation, 20 weeks and beyond is fully capable of experiencing pain. Without doubt a partial birth abortion is a dreadfully painful experience for any infant.”[vii] According to the utilitarian method there should be a complete ban on abortions after 20 weeks, on the grounds of being to painful for the child. This may even be extended as early as 8 weeks. Abortions may be even banned completely as being to painful and dangerous for the mother, as Dr. Warren Hern said, “in medical practice, there are few surgical procedures given so little attention and so underrated in its potential hazards as abortion. It is a commonly held view that complications are inevitable.”[viii] Therefore abortions, especially late term abortions are not to be performed apart for the most grave of circumstances, and by the most skilled of doctors.
[i] Why can't we love them both” Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Wilke ch.14 Fetal Pain http://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_14.asp
[ii] Volman & Pearson, "What the Fetus Feels," British Med. Journal, Jan. 26, 1980, pp. 233-234.
[iii] ibid.
[iv] Daling J.R., Malone K.E., Voight L.F., White E., and Weiss N.S., (1994), Risk of Breast Cancer Among Young Women: A Relationship to Individual Abortion, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 86: 1584 - 1592.
[v] Before you choose abortion - Heritage House Literature., http://www.abortionfacts.com/literature/literature_928YC.asp
[vi] Id.
[vii] R. White, Dir. Neurosurgery & Brain Research, Case Western Univ., Why can't we love them both” Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Wilke ch.14 Fetal http://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_14.asp
[viii] Ibid. Dr Warren Hern, world renowned abortionist.
