We know that an unborn baby will recoil from a painful stimulus as early as eight weeks. One study shows that unborn babies may be able to feel painful sensations as early as 13 weeks.

The unborn baby can certainly detect something when sufficiently developed, although there is debate as to whether pain is experienced in the same way as a child or adult experiences pain. However, if an unborn baby is too young to feel pain this does not detract from their humanity.

There is some discussion about anaesthetising unborn babies during abortion. A 2019 study proposed that: “Fetal analgesia and anaesthesia should … be standard for abortions in the second trimester …. .” The authors of this study also note that “Concerns about what the fetus might experience or feel have increased, and women considering an abortion express concern about the welfare of the fetus.”

In the end, anaesthetising unborn babies does not make abortion OK. No one would suggest that anaesthetising defenceless adults would make killing them more acceptable.