The Politics of Fetal Pain: Why This Is Not A Legislative Issue

I read with interest the recent blog by my colleagues Paul Burcher and Claire Horner entitled “The Politics of Fetal Pain”. In their blog they discuss the recent fetal pain bill passed in Utah, which “requires the use of general anesthesia on women seeking abortions at 20 weeks gestation or later.” At stake is the concern that fetuses may be capable of experiencing pain by 20 weeks, which has prompted 12 states to restrict or prohibit abortions from that point on, instead of 24 weeks, which is the current standard. Burcher and Horner remind us that the issue of fetal pain has been a source of contention for some time, which has led to “several states restricting or prohibiting abortions 20 weeks or later on the basis of potential fetal pain.” The authors are very much aware of the possibility that anti-abortion advocates may be using this issue as a convenient means by which to place additional limits on abortion rights of women. Which is to say, anti-abortion advocates supporting these restrictions on women’s reproductive rights may be using the fetal pain issue as a means to restrict abortion rights. Even if they do have a bias in creating this law, Burcher and Horner still believe that the law itself is justified. Though I would share a concern about the possibility of fetal pain, if I had reason to believe there were evidence to support it, I disagree that the appropriate next move ethically is to join forces with a...
Source: blog.bioethics.net - Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Tags: Health Care Reproductive Medicine abortion syndicated Women's Reproductive Rights Source Type: blogs