A US Congressman has landed himself in trouble after claiming to have seen male foetuses "pleasure themselves" while in-utero.

Tea Party Republican Michael Burgess, from Texas, made the claim while arguing in favour of a ban on abortions after 20 weeks gestation, Fox News reports.

During a recent House Rules Committee hearing he said the promised Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act should ban abortions 15 weeks after conception.

"There is no question in my mind that a baby at 20 weeks after conception can feel pain," Burgess, a former obstetrician and gynaecologist, said.

"The fact of the matter is I argue with the chairman because I thought the date was far too late. We should be setting this at 15 weeks, 16 weeks.

"Watch a sonogram of a 15-week baby, and they have movements that are purposeful.

"They stroke their face. If they're a male baby, they may have their hand between their legs.

"If they feel pleasure, why is it so hard to think that they could feel pain?"

His comment comes just days after another anti-abortion Republican, Trent Franks, said a "very low" number of rapes result in pregnancies.

Burgess's comments have, predictably, prompted much ridicule online, with some news sites referring to him as a "wing nut", although some sites have attempted to put his comments into context. The Atlanticreported that he was trying to make a serious point about foetuses feeling pain.

But at least two medical experts disagree with him.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists President Jeanne Conry told US News & World Report Burgess's comments are based on observation and emotion and not science. There is no data to assess whether a fetus at that stage feels pleasure or pain, she said.

Cleveland Dr. Lisa Perriera of University Hospitals Case Medical Center told ABC newsthat a foetus's hand between its legs is nothing more than "practising using their muscles."

"Three studies have been done in human foetuses to examine the development of connections between nerves," Perriera said. "And we don't think those connections start to form until somewhere between 23 and 30 weeks gestation."

The bill is scheduled for a House vote sometime Wednesday (Australian time). It's not expected to pass.

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