The first part of this post is here.
She started to cry, took the 7 weeks fetal development model and asked if her baby was really like this. I said yes and she started to touch the baby, seeing fingers, nose, mouth, eyes...
We kept talking for a while about fetal development and looked at the other models (until 10 weeks). I thought the counseling was going well, that at least, she was thinking about changing her mind but suddenly she said: "Ok ok. It seems like a baby, but it doesn't feel any pain. It is not going to experience the procedure." I tried to explain to her that there is some evidence to suggest that in some instances, it does appear that fetuses can feel pain. Evidence of this is "The Silent Scream."
In this movie there is shown an abortion in real-time on a sonogram screen, and Dr. Bernard Nathanson explains what the fetus does when subjected to the procedure. In fact, we can see that the fetus' heart beat almost doubles. It also shows the baby trying to escape from the vacuum instrument. It seems to show that the baby can feel and suffer.
This young girl definitely had a lot of things to think about, and she left the office crying and carrying a few brochures to read at home.
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