Did you know that doctors can tell if a baby will be right-handed or left-handed at just 15 weeks’ gestation?
It’s possible by observing which thumb the little girl prefers to suck in utero. By studying ultrasounds, scientists have determined that 85% of preborn babies prefer moving their right hand over their left hand. About 85% of adults prefer their right hand, too!
Over the past two weeks you’ve heard a lot about unborn babies at 6 weeks’ gestation thanks to the new Texas law which protects life from the first heartbeat. Next week you’ll likely hear another firestorm as the Mississippi abortion center files a brief with the Supreme Court on the merits of overturning Mississippi’s 15-week abortion limit.
At issue is the humanity of the unborn and the undeniable fact that Roe and many abortion laws are based on outdated science. This morning, Charlotte Lozier Institute released 15 Facts at 15 Weeks, a new report from CLI associate scholar Dr. Katrina Furth highlighting 15 amazing scientific facts about unborn babies at 15 weeks’ gestation, including …
- The baby’s heart has already beat approximately 15,800,000 times!
- Every major organ has grown and most are functional.
- The baby swallows more or less amniotic fluid depending on whether or not he or she likes the taste of what Mommy just ate.
- If something touches the palm of the baby’s hand, they will bend their fingers as if to grasp the object.
- The baby can feel pain.
Dr. Furth’s analysis? “If you follow the science, it’s clear that children at 15 weeks’ gestation are already amazingly complex human beings. To say these amazing little boys and girls don’t deserve the same human rights as you and I is to deny the clear evidence of science.”
- Read more about Dr. Furth’s research and how it impacts the upcoming Mississippi late abortion case
- Read Dr. Furth’s full, evidence-based study
Following the Science on Texas Heartbeat Act
With a national debate raging over the new Texas law which protects life from the first heartbeat, what does science say about unborn babies at 6 weeks’ gestation?
- The heart is actively beating at 6 weeks.
- The baby’s average heart rate is 98 BPM. This will rise to 175 BPM by 9 weeks’ gestation.
- The presence of a heartbeat at 6-8 weeks’ gestation correlates with a live birth rate of 98% in normal pregnancies without intervention.
- The brain has divided into three primary sections responsible for sensing and decision-making, movement and tracking objects, and vital body functions.
