Massachusetts Fetal Pain Bill (H 1930)

H 1930 would require physicians to anesthetize the fetus prior to performing certain abortions for the purpose of preventing fetal pain.

The bill contains the following exceptions:

• Risk to the life of the mother, or substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the mother, if anesthesia is administered to the fetus;
• If the pregnancy has not reached 20 weeks gestation; or
• The mother refuses the procedure.

This legislation is based on the disputed theory that fetuses can feel pain at 20 weeks.

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