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Q:  If I have an abortion, will my baby feel pain?

A:  Because circumstances vary, the answer to this question will depend both on the stage of fetus development and method of abortion performed.
      It has been determined that as early as eight weeks a fetus is capable of experiencing pain. It is at this point in development that the following necessary structures are in place: sensory nerves (which detect pain), the thalamus (part of the brain that receives pain message from sensory nerves), and motor nerves (which are directed by the brain to pull away from the hurt).
      In addition, by 13-1/2 to 14 weeks, the entire body surface, except for the back and the top of the head, are sensitive to pain.