▁in ▁all ▁forms ▁and ▁made ▁it ▁pun ish able ▁in ▁sec ular ▁courts . ▁ ▁Current ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁law ▁ ▁Adv ances ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁art ▁in ▁medical ▁science , ▁including ▁medical ▁knowledge ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁vi ability ▁of ▁the ▁fet us , ▁and ▁the ▁ease ▁with ▁which ▁the ▁fet us ▁can ▁be ▁observed ▁in ▁the ▁w omb ▁as ▁a ▁living ▁being , ▁treated ▁clin ically ▁as ▁a ▁human ▁being , ▁and ▁( by ▁certain ▁stages ) ▁demonstrate ▁neural ▁and ▁other ▁processes ▁considered ▁as ▁human , ▁have ▁led ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁juris dict ions ▁– ▁in ▁particular ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁– ▁to ▁supp lant ▁or ▁abol ish ▁this ▁common ▁law ▁principle . ▁ ▁Ex amples ▁of ▁the ▁evidence ▁c ited ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁within ▁studies ▁in ▁ul tr ason ography , ▁f etal ▁heart ▁monitoring , ▁fet os copy , ▁and ▁behavior al ▁neu ros cience . ▁Studies ▁in ▁Ne on atal ▁per ception ▁suggest ▁that ▁the ▁phys i ology ▁required ▁for ▁conscious ness ▁does ▁not ▁exist ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 8 th ▁week , ▁as ▁this ▁is ▁when ▁the ▁th al am ic ▁af fer ents ▁begin ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁c ere br al ▁cor tex . ▁How ▁long ▁it ▁takes ▁for ▁the ▁requ is ite ▁connection ▁to ▁be ▁properly ▁established ▁is ▁unknown ▁at ▁this ▁time . ▁Additionally , ▁it ▁is ▁unclear ▁whether ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁certain ▁h orm ones ▁may ▁keep ▁the ▁f etal ▁brain ▁sed ated ▁until ▁birth . ▁ ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁ ▁The ▁rule