Donate
  Bookmark and Share


 

The Pain of the Unborn Child

Some of the Methods Used

 

To see medical illustrations of a "dilation and evacuation" (D&E) abortion, a method often used during the second trimester, click here.

To view video of the graphic 2012 congressional testimony of former abortionist Dr. Anthony Levatino, demonstrating how this type of abortion is performed, click here.  To read Dr. Levatino's printed testimony, click here.

To see medically accurate illustrations of the partial-birth abortion method, usually used during the fifth and sixth months (and sometimes later), click here.

The Scientific Evidence

Report of Dr. Kanwaljeet S. Anand, expert on fetal pain, to U.S. federal court reviewing the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act -- January 15, 2004

Fetal Pain: The Evidence. A factsheet from www.doctorsonfetalpain.org -- February, 2013

Testimony of Colleen Malloy, M.D., neonatologist and professor of pediatrics, Northwestern University, in support of the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 3803) -- May 17, 2012

NRLC Rebuttal to Advocacy Paper Published in JAMA on the Pain of Unborn Humans -- August 25, 2005
To view or download a PDF copy of the rebuttal, click here.

Memo from NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson to science and medicine editors/reporters on "medical pseudo-science that endangers women and their babies" (the anesthesia-kills-babies myth) -- January 2, 1996

 

NRLC-Backed Bill to Protect Pain-Capable Unborn Children In Sixth Month and Later Passes U.S. House of Representatives, 228-196 -- June 18, 2013

U.S. House of Representatives Tomorrow Takes up NRLC-backed Bill to Provide Nationwide Protection for Pain-Capable Unborn Children -- June 17, 2013
To view or download a PDF version of this Media Advisory, click here.

Obama White House Issues Veto Threat on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Bill! -- June 17, 2013
To view or download this statement as a PDF document, click here.

Revised version of Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 1797), to be considered on the floor of U.S. House of Representatives -- June 14, 2013

U.S. House Judiciary Committee Approves Bill to Provide Nationwide Protection for Pain-Capable Unborn Children -- June 12, 2013
To view or download a PDF version of this media advisory, click here.

U.S. House Judiciary Committee Takes up Bill to Provide Nationwide Protection for Pain-Capable Unborn Children; Full House Action Planned for Week of June 17 -- June 11, 2013
To view or download a PDF version of this media advisory, click here.

NRLC letter to House urging cosponsorship of H.R. 1797 -- June 5, 2013
To view or download a PDF version of this letter, click here.

Media Advisory: House Judiciary Subcommittee approves nationwide protection for pain-capable children -- June 4, 2013
To view or download a PDF version of this Media Advisory, click here.

Testimony and video from hearing on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 1797), House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice -- May 23, 2013

National Right to Life Applauds Rep. Franks' Plan to Pursue National Protection for Pain-Capable Unborn Children -- May 17, 2013

Gosnell convicted of murder, but babies suffer just as much in late abortions nationwide -- May 13, 2013

States That Protect Pain-Capable Unborn Children (PDF document) -- April 30, 2013

New Polling Shows Strong Support For Prohibiting Abortion On Pain-Capable Unborn Children -- April 22, 2013

Way to Supreme Court Opened by Lower Court Decision on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act -- March 7, 2013

Arkansas General Assembly Overrides Beebe Veto, Becomes 8th State to Protect Pain-Capable Unborn Children -- February 28, 2013

154 House members vote for abortion-until-birth in nation's capital -- July 31, 2012
To view or download a PDF version of this press release, click here.

NRLC scorecard letter to House on D.C. abortion-until-birth policy -- July 31, 2012
 To view or download a PDF version of this letter, click here.

Federal Judge Upholds Pain-Based Abortion Curb in Arizona, as U.S. House Votes Tuesday on D.C. Abortion-Until-Birth Policy -- July 30, 2012
To view or download a PDF version of this document, click here.

Order of U.S. District Judge James A. Teilborg upholding Arizona law limiting abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy (18 weeks fetal age) based on capacity of unborn child to feel pain -- July 30, 2012 (PDF file)

NRLC Media Advisory: House to Conduct Landmark Vote on D.C. Late Abortion Ban! -- July 27, 2012
 To view or download a PDF version of this advisory, click here.

To view or download the version of H.R. 3803 approved by the House Judiciary Committee, on which the full House of Representatives will vote on July 31, 2012, click here.
(PDF file)

NRLC Press Release: U.S. House Judiciary Committee votes to end D.C.'s abortion-until-birth policy, approves 20-week ban -- July 18, 2012

Media advisory: New poll shows strong support for Congress ending D.C.'s abortion-until-birth policy -- July 17, 2012
To view or download the advisory in PDF, click here.
Poll result report from The Polling Company, Inc./WomanTrend (poll conducted July 12-15, 2012 -- 1000 American adults)

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ): "The Revelation of Legal Abortion Until Birth, for Any Reason, in Our Nation's Capitol -- How Will We Respond?" -- June 28, 2012 (PDF file)

Associated Press: Abortion legal "for any reason" in the District of Columbia, both before and after "viability" -- May 23, 2012
(PDF file)

NRLC update on May 17, 2012 U.S. House subcommittee hearing on the D.C. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, with links to video of testimony

Testimony of Colleen Malloy, M.D., neonatologist and professor of pediatrics, Northwestern University, in support of the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 3803) -- May 17, 2012

Testimony of Anthony Levatino, M.D., J.D., obstetrician-gynecologist, former abortion provider, in support of the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 3803) -- May 17, 2012

Testimony of Byron Calhoun, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, West Virginia University-Charleston, in support of the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 3803) -- May 17, 2012

Testimony of Christy Zink, private witness, in opposition to the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 3803) -- May 17, 2012

NRLC Media Advisory: U.S. House panel to examine policy of legal abortion until birth in nation's capital -- May 17, 2012

Updated NRLC letter to U.S. House members, urging co-sponsorship of H.R. 3803 -- May 14, 2012
To view or download a pdf version of this letter, click here

Georgia governor signs Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act into law -- May 1, 2012

Pro-abortion leaders alarmed by the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act -- February 22, 2012

NRLC urges U.S. senators to support S. 2103, the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act -- February 14, 2012
To view or download a pdf version of this letter, click here.

Statement by NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson on Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act -- January 23, 2012

Text of H.R. 3803, the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act -- January 23, 2012 (PDF file)

NRLC letter to U.S. House of Representatives, urging cosponsorship of the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act -- January 19, 2012
To view or download the letter in PDF format, click here.

Alabama Becomes Fifth State to Protect Pain-Capable Unborn Children -- June 16, 2011

Oklahoma Becomes Fourth State to Protect Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Abortion -- April 20, 2011

Idaho Becomes Third State to Protect Pain-Capable Unborn Children -- April 14, 2011

Kansas Governor Brownback Signs Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act -- April 12, 2011

Nebraska legislature passes NRLC-backed Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act -- April 13, 2010

Fetal Pain: The Evidence. A factsheet from www.doctorsonfetalpain.org -- March 14, 2011

NRLC Rebuttal to Advocacy Paper Published in JAMA on the Pain of Unborn Humans -- August 25, 2005
To view or download a PDF copy of the rebuttal, click here.

Report of Dr. Kanwaljeet S. Anand, expert on fetal pain, to U.S. federal court reviewing the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act -- January 15, 2004

"Partial-Birth Abortion on Trial," by Cathy Cleaver Ruse. This article, which appeared in the Spring 2005 issue of Human Life Review, contains extensive excerpts from sworn testimony by abortionists, and by medical experts, regard late abortion methods and the pain that they cause to unborn children.

Memo from NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson to science and medicine editors/reporters on "medical pseudo-science that endangers women and their babies" (the anesthesia-kills-babies myth) -- January 2, 1996
(PDF document -- requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

For pre-2010 NRLC documents on the Pain of the Unborn, click here