COME ON, NOW PREGNANT WOMEN HAVE TO LOOK AT AN ULTRASOUND PICTURE OF THEIR UNBORN TO DECIDE. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
COME ON, NOW PREGNANT COME ON, NOW PREGNANT WOMEN HAVE TO LOOK AT AN ULTRASOUND PICTURE OF THEIR UNBORN TO DECIDE. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.WOMEN HAVE TO LOOK AT AN ULTRASOUND PICTURE OF THEIR UNBORN TO DECIDE. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
By Christopher C.L. Custer, MD
Pro life and pro choice protesters
screaming at each other
Abortion seeker being escorted by volunteer clinic escorters
We don't like to kill our unborn, we need them to grow up and fight our wars.”
― Marilyn Manson
It is my understanding that 6 states require the doctor doing the abortion to display an U/S of her embryo or fetus to the woman scheduled for the abortion.(1) There is a fine line between this and the law forcing the woman to look at the picture on the display of the U/S machine. The lady's decision is difficult enough, without causing her additional anxiety of having her make her decision again within 24 hours of the scheduled abortion. But then, since when did legislators ever care about anything but their blatant self- interests.
That is the assumption that an U/S can dissuade
There is something else which I decry. That is the assumption that an U/S can dissuade a pregnant woman from going ahead with the abortion. The jury is still out on that question- it really depends on which study you read.(3)(4) One study, reference number 4, show a small but significant increase in women not getting an abortion. However, the study realized the decision is not a simple black and white issue. The study's authors noted that other variables are more significant than viewing their fetus on an U/S picture such as fully paying for the abortion and how sure their decision was to have the abortion. Most women are sure of their decision- they have already jumped through enough hoops to be sure. Yet many state legislators seem to be hell bent in putting more obstacles to legally accessing abortion services. For some reason state legislators think they are qualified to make decisions way beyond their knowledge. These(mostly) men are preying on women when they are most vulnerable, and that just is not right. My feelings are mixed about the recent reversal of the Supreme Court on Roe vs Wade. I'm sad for all the women who will no longer be able to control their own bodies, but I admire their courage in getting out of an issue they have no expertise in. Abortion should be between her doctor and legitimate pro-life and pro- choice sources of information.
Both sides have legitimate arguments. What I don't like is how polarizing this issue is. It has become the acid test for us- you are either pro life or pro choice-if you don't agree with me - end of story. While most of us think this an important issue it not the only issue. We shouldn't decide we have nothing further to say to a person solely based on whether they are pro-life or choice.We should look for similarities and build on that rather than differences that will only divide us.
Being an Ob/GYN, my interest in the issue of abortion comes with the territory. But it more comes from my interaction with a ardent Pro- Lifer. Attack first I took her for a brainwashed fanatical Pro- Lifer. But by getting to know Ms. Sara Terzo, I realized that I had misinterpreted her dedication and passion as fanaticism. Unfortunately, I think she may be the exception to the rule. By being tolerant and be willing to listen to eachother's point of view, we have become more than people representing opposing sides. I may hazard that we are friends that respect eachother's views. We may agree to disagree but we also agree to listen to each other.
REFERENCES
1)https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/requirements-ultrasoundjrfh
2) https://www.thecut.com/2019/12/forced-ultrasound-abortion-what-its-like.html
3) https://www.ansirh.org/research/research/mandatory-ultrasound-viewing-does-little-dissuade-women-getting-abortions
4) ://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0178871..0
5)httphttpss://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/113967
6) https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/11396