ix21@sdccs6.UUCP (David Whiteman) (04/27/84)
The following is reprinted from the February 24, 1984 issue of American Medical News, a publication of the American Medical Association. The views and opinions expressed are not necessary endorsed by the American Medical Association. Copyright 1984 AMA, reprinted by permission. This article does not necessary represent my personal opinion. Please do not copy this article. "MD Group Claims that Fetuses Suffer Pain" A coalition of physicians has rallied behind President Reagen, supporting his contention that aborted fetuses suffer "long and agonizing pain." "A fetus shows the precise behavior as you or I in avoiding pain. It is not a reflex, but an actual aversion to a needle or chemicals. He squirms away from any noxious influence," said spokesman Vincent Collins, MD, professor of anesthesiology at Northwestern U. in Chicago, at a Washington, D.C., press conference. The physicians delivered a letter to Reagen, saying that "we are pleased to associate ourselves with you in drawing the attention of people across the nation to the humanity and sensitivity of the human unborn. Yuou stand on firmly established ground." Signatories include Richard T. F. Schmidt, MD, and Fred Hoffmeister, MD, both former presidents of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and 24 other physicians. The medical community has ignored fetal pain because "doctors don't want to dwell on it," Dr. Collins. "They are afraid that women who have had abortions will develop guilt reactions." In a Jan. 31 address to the National Religious Broadcasters convention, Reagan contended that "medical science doctors confirm that when the lives of the unborn are snuffed out, they often feel pain -- pain that is long and agonizing." This was challenged by Ervin E. Nichols, MD, ACOG director of practice activities, who said he was unaware of any evidence that pain is perceived by a fetus. Dr. Nichols said a fetus may have "demonstrated neurological reflexes," but that this should not be interpeted as pain. The coalition of physicians said they were "astounded" by Dr. Nichol's comments. In response, they convened the "educational" press conference, as a way of "getting thre truth out on the table." The press conferenece was sponsored by the anti-abortion group Value of Life, Inc. of Brighton, Mass. THE DISPUTE remains unsettled. Dr. Nichols has performed a National Insitutes of Health literature search, and still contends that there is no legitimate scientific evidence showing that fetuses feel pain early in pregnancy. In fact, scientific literature suggests just the opposite, he says: The fetal spinal cord is not adequtely [sic.] covered until the fifth month of pregnancy, and the fetal cerebellum is not sufficiently devleloped until the seventh month of pregnancy. A sensation of pain is dependent upon these two processes, he says. Physicians know that fetuses feel pain, Dr. Collins counters, because: The cortex is developed between four and five weeks of age. Reflex actions can be observed between four and six weeks of age. Brain waves are detectable between six and seven weeks. Nerves connecting the spinal cord to peripheral structures have developed between six to eight weeks. Adverse reactions to stimuli are observed between eight and 10 weeks. Neurotransmitters capable of sending pain signals to the brain are present at 12 weeks. Opiate receptors, designed to provide analgesia, can be seen at 12 weeks. [Posters Note: Before we get a lot of articles about fetuses taking opium and morphine, let me point out that the body has receptors located in various areas which suppress pain when stimulated. These receptors normally are stimulated by beta-endorphins, and enkephalins, which are produced by the body. These receptors are stimulated by opiates hence the name. -- David] "You can tell by the contours on their faces that aborted fetuses feel pain." added obsetrician Matthew Bulfin, MD, of Lauderdale by the Sea, Fla. He described the case of a 25-year-old woman administered a prostaglandin abortion, who expelled her fetus in the middle of the night. Before hospital nurses arrived, she witnessed "the thrashing around and gruesome trauma on his face, and knew that the fetus had suffered." Saline abortions cause the fetus to fell "the same agony as an adult who has suffered burns over 80% to 90% of his body," Dr. Collins said. The fetus "squirms, throws himself around, and showes a totoal grimacing patterns of withdrawal," he said. Pain is most probable during second-trimester abortions, which account for 100,000 procedures a year. Pain during the first trimester is "documented with more difficulty," they said. Local anesthesia to the mother does not ease fetal pain, Dr. Collins said. He rejected the sugeestion that anesthesiologists should play a more major role in the abortion setting, saying,. "We don't have enough anesthesiologists to take care of real medical problems. Most anesthesiologists I know would shun any involvement in non-productive, non-curative medicine."
ix21@sdccs6.UUCP (04/27/84)
The following is reprinted from the February 24, 1984 issue of American Medical News, a publication of the American Medical Association. The views and opinions expressed are not necessary endorsed by the American Medical Association. Copyright 1984 AMA, reprinted by permission. This article does not necessary represent my personal opinion. Please do not copy this article. "MD Group Claims that Fetuses Suffer Pain" A coalition of physicians has rallied behind President Reagen, supporting his contention that aborted fetuses suffer "long and agonizing pain." "A fetus shows the precise behavior as you or I in avoiding pain. It is not a reflex, but an actual aversion to a needle or chemicals. He squirms away from any noxious influence," said spokesman Vincent Collins, MD, professor of anesthesiology at Northwestern U. in Chicago, at a Washington, D.C., press conference. The physicians delivered a letter to Reagen, saying that "we are pleased to associate ourselves with you in drawing the attention of people across the nation to the humanity and sensitivity of the human unborn. Yuou stand on firmly established ground." Signatories include Richard T. F. Schmidt, MD, and Fred Hoffmeister, MD, both former presidents of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and 24 other physicians. The medical community has ignored fetal pain because "doctors don't want to dwell on it," Dr. Collins. "They are afraid that women who have had abortions will develop guilt reactions." In a Jan. 31 address to the National Religious Broadcasters convention, Reagan contended that "medical science doctors confirm that when the lives of the unborn are snuffed out, they often feel pain -- pain that is long and agonizing." This was challenged by Ervin E. Nichols, MD, ACOG director of practice activities, who said he was unaware of any evidence that pain is perceived by a fetus. Dr. Nichols said a fetus may have "demonstrated neurological reflexes," but that this should not be interpeted as pain. The coalition of physicians said they were "astounded" by Dr. Nichol's comments. In response, they convened the "educational" press conference, as a way of "getting thre truth out on the table." The press conferenece was sponsored by the anti-abortion group Value of Life, Inc. of Brighton, Mass. THE DISPUTE remains unsettled. Dr. Nichols has performed a National Insitutes of Health literature search, and still contends that there is no legitimate scientific evidence showing that fetuses feel pain early in pregnancy. In fact, scientific literature suggests just the opposite, he says: The fetal spinal cord is not adequtely [sic.] covered until the fifth month of pregnancy, and the fetal cerebellum is not sufficiently devleloped until the seventh month of pregnancy. A sensation of pain is dependent upon these two processes, he says. Physicians know that fetuses feel pain, Dr. Collins counters, because: The cortex is developed between four and five weeks of age. Reflex actions can be observed between four and six weeks of age. Brain waves are detectable between six and seven weeks. Nerves connecting the spinal cord to peripheral structures have developed between six to eight weeks. Adverse reactions to stimuli are observed between eight and 10 weeks. Neurotransmitters capable of sending pain signals to the brain are present at 12 weeks. Opiate receptors, designed to provide analgesia, can be seen at 12 weeks. [Posters Note: Before we get a lot of articles about fetuses taking opium and morphine, let me point out that the body has receptors located in various areas which suppress pain when stimulated. These receptors normally are stimulated by beta-endorphins, and enkephalins, which are produced by the body. These receptors are also stimulated by opiates hence the name. -- David] "You can tell by the contours on their faces that aborted fetuses feel pain." added obsetrician Matthew Bulfin, MD, of Lauderdale by the Sea, Fla. He described the case of a 25-year-old woman administered a prostaglandin abortion, who expelled her fetus in the middle of the night. Before hospital nurses arrived, she witnessed "the thrashing around and gruesome trauma on his face, and knew that the fetus had suffered." Saline abortions cause the fetus to fell "the same agony as an adult who has suffered burns over 80% to 90% of his body," Dr. Collins said. The fetus "squirms, throws himself around, and showes a totoal grimacing patterns of withdrawal," he said. Pain is most probable during second-trimester abortions, which account for 100,000 procedures a year. Pain during the first trimester is "documented with more difficulty," they said. Local anesthesia to the mother does not ease fetal pain, Dr. Collins said. He rejected the sugeestion that anesthesiologists should play a more major role in the abortion setting, saying,. "We don't have enough anesthesiologists to take care of real medical problems. Most anesthesiologists I know would shun any involvement in non-productive, non-curative medicine."
mpackard@uok.UUCP (05/15/84)
#R:sdccs6:-142700:uok:21400001:000:601 uok!mpackard May 15 00:55:00 1984 What a bunch of bull! I would no more worry about a fetus than the dog I ran over this morning going to work. Or how about the bull your eating for dinner? The problem with americans is that they have differant ways of making a buck. The people making the bucks are the organizations and people managing them whether they are for it or against it. The average joe could care less, it`s those poor suckers sending their hard earned dollers in to provide a livelyhood for these thiefs. If you agree with me send $40.00 to cover my kids college expenses. [Sally Struthers makes me puke] uok!mpackard