When can a fetus feel pain?
Based on the development of the nervous system, a fetus likely has the capacity to feel pain as early as 8-12 weeks gestation.
Sources:
Thill, Bridget, MD, MS. “Fetal Pain in the First Trimester.” Linacre Quarterly vol. 89,1 (2022): 73-100. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00243639211059245.
