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The Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act
by Sylvia Cochran - Staff Writer
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The Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act

On May 20, 2004, Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) introduced the “Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act” with the words:

“Many among us are unaware of the scientific, medical fact that unborn children can feel, but it is true. Not only can they feel, but their ability to experience pain is heightened. The highest density of pain receptors per square inch of skin in human development occurs in utero from 20 to 30 weeks gestation. ... Unborn children can experience pain . This is why unborn children are often administered anesthesia during in utero surgeries. Think about the pain that unborn children can experience, and then think about the more gruesome abortion procedures. Of course, we have heard about Partial Birth Abortion, but also consider the D&E abortion. During this procedure, commonly performed after 20-weeks -- when there is medical evidence that the child can experience severe pain -- the child is torn apart limb from limb. Think about how that must feel to a young human.

We would never allow a dog to be treated this way. Yet, the creature we are talking about is a young, unborn child ." (1)

Together with a number of republicans and one democrat, Senator Brownback seeks to inform women, who consider an abortion after 20 weeks gestation, of one of the less popularized realities this decision entails: the abject pain the unborn child experiences while s/he is dismembered. It is a sad testament to our times that animals bred for human consumption are protected from experiencing prolonged pain during their slaughter (Humane Slaughter Act); similarly animals kept for companionship are protected against veterinary procedures that inflict pain without anesthesia (Animal Welfare Act). Yet, to at least anesthetize a child prior to its being killed in utero appears to be a logical leap nobody has quite been able to make...until Senator Brownback came along.

In essence, the bill simply requires abortion providers to obtain a woman’s informed consent on whether or not she would like to have anesthetics administered to the unborn child prior to the abortion. A woman may choose to do so or to forego this option. It is still her choice.

Where Senator Brownback will most likely get himself, and the bill, in trouble with the pro-choice bloodhounds is the allegation (even though it is a scientific fact) that a fetus can feel pain, thus elevating it from the “bulk of cells” to a living, feeling organism. From there, the Harpy-like screeching will contend, it is only a small step to say that a fetus is actually a human being.

Well what else is it supposed to be? Can’t we, as a society intent on having the right to kill the most defenseless of us all, at least have the decency to treat them as well as we would treat our dogs, cats, or cattle?

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(1) http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/fetal_pain/...

To read the entire text of the proposed Act, please visit http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/fetal_pain/...

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This article was previously published at http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/pro_life/109839 and written for Suite101.

You can reach Ms. Cochran at: sylviacochran@ucd.net