Fetal movements in utero are an expression of fetal well-being. In the short clip below, we watch this fetus literally attempt to stand inside his mother’s womb!
We recently had a follower ask us whether a fetus can feel pain in utero. In 2004, The Journal of Perinatal Education published a definitive review of the research on pain processing and the neuronal consequences of pain in the very young. The review’s author, Dr. Gayle Page of Johns Hopkins University stated that Nociceptive pathways (the nervous system route that transmits pain to the brain) appear to be developed by 22–24 weeks in fetuses. The response of a fetus or a newborn to pain does not appear to be identical to that of an adult. The neural pathways of fetuses lack fully developed pain-inhibitory systems, which means they are not capable of interpreting pain the way adults do. For them, localized pain is not felt as localized, but as global! This phenomenon may help to explain why babies are so sensitive to stimulation.
Written by Student Doctor: Navpreet Singh Badesha ©12/13/2016 All Rights Reserved.
Video Credit: Dr. Ali Gursoy on Instagram.
Featured image courtesy of Baby Center.
This research was published in the National Library of Medicine.
