Pain is a common human event. Yet, the point at which it can be said that a person is able to experience pain remains unclear. For example, is the human fetus capable of feeling pain? If so, is it the same kind of pain known to the more mature individual? The answer, in part, may depend upon the definition of pain, and what are considered to be the essential and necessary components of pain. The role of consciousness, memory, and the cortex, for example, appear to require consideration. This paper explores some of the controversies surrounding these topics. The discussion focuses on whether or not fetal pain can, or should, conform to the standard International Association for the Study Pain (IASP) definition. Or, might fetal pain present a different kind of pain demonstrating some, but not all, of the characteristics of the IASP definition.