Optional veiw of ultrasound before abortion...

KnightOfSappho · #1 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Ohio Bill Would Allow Women Seeking Abortion To View Ultrasound Image
Main Category: Abortion News
Article Date: 23 Oct 2007 - 7:00 PDT

Ohio state Sen. Gary Cates (R) recently proposed a measure (SB 230) that would give a woman seeking an abortion the option of viewing an ultrasound image of her fetus before undergoing the procedure, the AP/Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Mark Lally, legal director for Ohio Right to Life, said abortion-rights opponents believe viewing ultrasound images might influence women seeking abortions to reconsider undergoing the procedure. "We have encountered women who, after having abortions, saw ultrasounds in other contexts of other children and they say, 'Hey, that's about the same age the child that I aborted was,' and they have adverse emotional reactions," Lally said.

Kellie Copeland, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, said the organization is "remaining neutral on the bill because, as it is right now, it's telling clinics to do what they already do." Gary Dougherty, executive director of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of Ohio, said, "It's our standard practice. ... If somebody asks to see [an ultrasound image], we're going to show it to them -- no question." According to the National Right to Life Committee, 11 states have passed laws requiring that ultrasounds be offered to women (Carr Smyth, AP/Cleveland Plain Dealer, 10/18).

Here is my question...

Is there anywhere where it is not legal to veiw an ultrasound before having an abortion? This legislation sounds a bit pointless.

forester814 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007, 06:02 PM

I see nothing wrong with allowing this, since it's optional anyway. But yea, the tone of the article makes it sound like it is currently NOT legal for the woman to see an ultrasound.

Why would that be? The additional expense of doing the ultrasound? No, that's pretty cheap... and again, optional.

This one has me scratching my head, KOS.

I can't believe I am about to say this, but I find myself in agreement with the Right To Life guy in the article. I think if the woman wants to see (and pay for) the ultrasound, that should be available to her. If seeing it makes her change her mind about going through with the procedure, then she probably would have ended up regretting it afterwards.

cnredd · #3 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forester814

I see nothing wrong with allowing this, since it's optional anyway. But yea, the tone of the article makes it sound like it is currently NOT legal for the woman to see an ultrasound.

Why would that be? The additional expense of doing the ultrasound? No, that's pretty cheap... and again, optional.

This one has me scratching my head, KOS.

I can't believe I am about to say this, but I find myself in agreement with the Right To Life guy in the article. I think if the woman wants to see (and pay for) the ultrasound, that should be available to her. If seeing it makes her change her mind about going through with the procedure, then she probably would have ended up regretting it afterwards.

I'm surprised not showing an objective detailed procedure of what happens before going through with it should be mandatory...for the very same reason...

forester814 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

I'm surprised not showing an objective detailed procedure of what happens before going through with it should be mandatory...for the very same reason...

The only part of your idea that I disagree with is the mandatory part. For women whose minds are made up, forcing any of that on them is just an additional stressor in what is likely to be one of the most stressful things that woman will ever do.

But making it optional and readily available? Sure, I will agree with that, for the same reasons I agree with the ultrasound being available upon request.

KnightOfSappho · #5 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007, 06:20 PM

Sorry... Forgot to add the link...

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/86291.php

Senior moments becoming more frequent....

AlicornsPrayer · #6 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007, 06:23 PM

I'm going to have to agree with KOS and Forester here...Having the choice of having an ultrasound done by the patient's request is all good in my book. I don't believe it should be mandatory, for the reasons Forester stated.

I personally believe, that if a woman is considering abortion as an option, she should have full choice in having the information she wants by her own request. Not something forced on her, as what she's considering is already a difficult choice to begin with.

The only information/procedures that should be mandatory for her to do, is that information/procedures directly related to her own health and physical well being. An ultrasound, unless there's an absolute medical reason for it's useage, doesn't apply as a 'have to have done' instance in this situation. As such, then it should remain an option, nothing more.

KnightOfSappho · #7 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forester814

I see nothing wrong with allowing this, since it's optional anyway. But yea, the tone of the article makes it sound like it is currently NOT legal for the woman to see an ultrasound.

Why would that be? The additional expense of doing the ultrasound? No, that's pretty cheap... and again, optional.

This one has me scratching my head, KOS.

I can't believe I am about to say this, but I find myself in agreement with the Right To Life guy in the article. I think if the woman wants to see (and pay for) the ultrasound, that should be available to her. If seeing it makes her change her mind about going through with the procedure, then she probably would have ended up regretting it afterwards.

I agree on these points.

This sounds like a peice of 'feel-good' legislation that allows a politician to say that he did something to combat abortion.

KnightOfSappho · #8 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlicornsPrayer

The only information/procedures that should be mandatory for her to do, is that information/procedures directly related to her own health and physical well being. An ultrasound, unless there's an absolute medical reason for it's useage, doesn't apply as a 'have to have done' instance in this situation. As such, then it should remain an option, nothing more.

Even if the ultrasound was required for medical reasons, there is no good reason that she would be REQUIRED to veiw it.

AlicornsPrayer · #9 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KnightOfSappho

Even if the ultrasound was required for medical reasons, there is no good reason that she would be REQUIRED to veiw it.

Very true...But the problem with that is, when an ultrasound is done, you have only 1 of 2 choices...View it while it's being done or turn your head away. And as human curiosity goes...You'd be looking anyways. LOL.

So, unless they're looking for a tumor, blockages, bleeding, tearing? There is no other reasons of making an ultrasound mandatory in regards to abortion.

KnightOfSappho · #10 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlicornsPrayer

Very true...But the problem with that is, when an ultrasound is done, you have only 1 of 2 choices...View it while it's being done or turn your head away. And as human curiosity goes...You'd be looking anyways. LOL.

So, unless they're looking for a tumor, blockages, bleeding, tearing? There is no other reasons of making an ultrasound mandatory in regards to abortion.

Ultrasounds have, as a rule, two screens. One for the technician and one for the patient. It isn't that hard of a concept to have the patient screen truned off unless she requsts otherwise. If it was just one screen, then this could be a problem.

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