The British professional body for gynaecologists yesterday officially recognised that aborted babies may be able to feel pain. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists disclosed scientific evidence that the development of the nervous system, which might enable a foetus to feel pain, begins at around 26 weeks.
The professional body advised doctors to consider using an anaesthetic for unborn babies when carrying out a termination at or after 24 weeks to allow for any discrepancy as to the exact age.
This is the first time the college has issued guidelines on pain during abortions, stressing that the foetus should be protected from any potential painful procedures.
The study was carried out by a working party of medical experts, scientists, lay people, a theologian and a lawyer set up by the college after growing concern about whether foetuses could feel pain.
Only 10 years ago, even newborn babies were considered incapable of suffering pain. The announcement comes just days before Monday's 30th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act.
Reports that aborted babies may feel pain caused concern among anti-abortion campaigners.
Mr Jack Scarisbrick, of Life, who sat on a commission presided over by Lord Rawlinson on abortion issues, said it was a complicated issue, but an unborn child's brain need not be fully developed to feel pain.
He said: "There is a gradual slope up to pain, so if we are to try and avoid pain we should anaesthetise much earlier than 25 weeks. If our object is to avoid pain, then maybe 10 weeks earlier.
"It is simply a way of anaesthetising the consciences of doctors and the whole of society."
The director of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, Mr John Smeaton, said: "The fact that the unborn child reacts to touch and can feel pain has been known for some years."
Ms Ann Furedi, director of the pro-abortion charity, the Birth Control Trust, said there was already no possibility of a foetus feeling pain because of the way terminations are carried out.
She said: "In abortions at and after 20 weeks, the foetal heart is always stopped prior to the abortion so there is already no possibility that the foetus could suffer."