Law to Require Woman to Look at Baby Right Before Abortion

This really bothers me. I get why people would support it, but to not make an exception for victims of rape or incest is terrible.

omg

I choose to look at my baby before I had to abort it. That was heart breaking. But there was no heartbeat so there was nothing that I could do. But I choose to say goodbye. Man that was hard.

wow thats really scary. i'm surprised something like this even passed.

This is a weird law. It's like "Here meet the person you are about to kill." To be honest, I like it for those who are using abortion as birth control. It shouldn't be done in cases of rape or incest (aren't most incest cases rape though?)

let me just say this I'm pro choice.......
BUT

Although I think this law is another tactic of the "pro life" movement I also don't think "cruel and a violation of her privacy". First of all if a women is going to the doctor to terminate her pregancy an ultra sound is going to be done so ho is her privacy violated, secondly although I don't think anyone should be forced to participate in any medical procedure i.e. looking at the ultra sound I don't think saying it's "cruel" is a way to get the law changed. Some people think that terminated a pregnancy is "cruel" so the two arguments kind of nullify each other. I know this may sound harsh from someone that is pro choice but if you can't face your decisions ( and you shouldn't be forced to by any means) head on then you may shouldn't be making them? In cases on incest in rape where a crime has been committed against the mother then no she shouldn't have to view the ultrasound.

[To be honest, I like it for those who are using abortion as birth control]

I see the point -- but how would you know how to filer that out?? I mean abortion isn't an easy choice to make in the first place. People don't enter into it lightly and they have to deal with it forever.

that is what bothers me..there is no exception for women that are raped or victims of incest. I am sure its already an emotional process and making them look at it will cause further psychological damage IMO

"It sounds like we are all in agreement regarding the rape and incest part. Now, let's see if we can come together on something tougher, like the bugget."

Don't you wish that congress would work like this a little more?

It is a very expensive form on birth control.

I dont see anything wrong with it, its extreme for sure, and in the cases of known rape and incest I would say no, but I am fervently anti abortion because I believe its murder (if the fetus is dead, its not murder) Why shouldnt the mother know whats inside her? its not just "nothing" in her womb! She can pretend like its not, but showing her REALITY might make her change her mind.

Maybe it shouldnt be mandatory, maybe as an option. "we have an ultrasound machine here, would you like to see your baby?"

I find this extremely degrading and cruel. Abortion should be avoided, but it is the women's body and it's her right to choose whether to do it or not. Not the hospital's or the state's. Not making an exception for victims of rape or incest is even more insulting.

This is disgusting, and a shocking intrusion by the government into a private matter.

If we're going to be deeply pro-life, let's go down to Guantanamo and meet the people who are being tortured there in our names, or to Afghanistan to meet the children who are going to die so that we feel safer.

There is no valid legal reason to do this.

There's really no legal need for this, so...yeah, I don't want to feel like the government has its hands anywhere near my privates...

This is horrible. It's already the hardest thing some women ever do. Let's completely traumatize them why don't we.

The woman should be able to CHOOSE if she wants to see the sonogram or not. Its completely absurd that in 3 states?.. the woman is forced to look at the sonogram. hmmm....

I totally agree with CaterpillarGirl. I think that, once women see something living inside them, many of them would think twice before killing it. Regardless of where we stand on abortion, I think many of us can agree that many women are downright cavalier about it as a form of "birth control." I do find it sad, though, that there aren't exceptions for those who have already been scarred by rape or incest, but I can see that it would be hard to know who's telling the truth & who just doesn't want to see the ultrasound.

OK, MOST women do NOT use abortion as birth control--I think that is greatly exaggerated. Second MOST women REALIZE what a big decision aboriton is. This is SO insulting!

" "I think many of us can agree that many women are downright cavalier about it as a form of "birth control." "

I can't agree, and I can't make such a blanket statement about my fellow women. When my bf and I had a pregnancy scare last year, never did I ever think to myself "Oh well, guess I'll just have an abortion if I'm preggers!", nor would he want me to face something like that alone. It's disgusting to imply that most women just wake up with unwanted pregnancies one day and decide to have an abortion after their morning cup of coffee.

This disgusts me on SO many levels....

em1282 I think that poster was being sarcastic. Ok I guess abortion is technically "birth" control where the pill is "conception" control, but I don't think the poster meant that. No responsible person would look at abortion that way.

Anyways, my opinion, the state is waaaaaaay overstepping its bounds. If a woman wants to discuss looking at the ultra sound with her therapist or doctor and they give her advice, that is one thing. But this is just intimidation. We have abortion rights and tactics to make it emotionally or socially harder to use them is sleazy.

I find this law incredibly insulting, to the point of being cruel. If a woman chooses to see the fetus before aborting that ought to be her choice, but for a woman who is faced with what is likely one of the hardest desicions of her life to be forced to see the sonogram seems to me like a subtle way of the government saying "this is wrong...you shouldn't do this...you should feel bad" Talk about a guilt trip..totally unfair IMO

and don't get me started on people who throw around words like murder for dramatic effect and suggest things like women use abortion as birth control. I may be mistaken but I highly doubt that the marjority of woman-kind take abortion so lightly as to use it as a form of birth control. That statement is insulting in itself.

What kills me here is that the people in favor of this act as if there's something there to see. At 3 months, an ultrasound doesn't look like the picture you're seeing above. At 3 months, it's a bean, at best...and it's a fuzzy bean on an ultrasound. "Describe to the patient what they're seeing"??? "Ma'am, I see a fuzzy bean in your uterus...may we proceed?" (Yes, I'm being tongue-in-cheek...but come ON!)

You know, if you start showing people ultrasounds of their appendices and gall bladders before they're removed, some folks will change their mind on that, too. ::eyeroll::

And furthermore, I'd love to just once hear from all these supposed women out there using abortion as birth control...and if they are (which I doubt), is it because some conservative idiot denied them the ability to get it from their pharmacy?

" "I think many of us can agree that many women are downright cavalier about it as a form of "birth control." "

You have to be joking - why in the world would someone use abortion as a form of birth control? First of all, its extremely traumatic, its not like the doctor waves a magic wand and the pregnancy is terminated. Secondly, its expensive!

On the sonogram, most abortion are done early in the pregnancy and you really can't see anything anyway right? Its not like most women are going to see a sonogram of a fully formed fetus. Also what if the pregnancy isn't etopic and therefore required to save the mothers life? Would she still have to get this sonogram?

My other question is: who is going to pay for this? If the government is making it mandatory are they paying for it? Insurance doesn't cover abortions so I doubt it would cover this unnecessary procedure.

"I think many of us can agree that many women are downright cavalier about it as a form of "birth control." "

I completely disagree. And I've been in the situation Em has been in. Having an abortion was not the first thing on my "To Do" list.

"OK, MOST women do NOT use abortion as birth control--I think that is greatly exaggerated. "

Really? What do not women use it for then? My gut tells me that the most women who choose abortions are not victims of rape/incest. Are the majority of abortions performed done for medical reasons - i.e., the life of the mother is in serious danger? (I'm not being sarcastic - I truly have no idea and want to learn more.) Where do you find this information?

what do not = what do most

seesh

I think many of us can agree that we disagree with the "abortion as birth control" statement!

I saw a 3 month ultrasound and saw the beginnings of life, not a bean.

Are gall bladders going to develop into a human being? no, are babies akin to diseased or not functioning organs now?

Calling someone an idiot for affirming their beliefs is just wrong.

Um, definitely not as birth control. There's a difference between birth control and an absolutely life-changing event.

I dont see alot of women in my line of work (and i work for the state dealing with impoverished women in need of medical care for their children) using abortions as birth control.

Kranky - The last time I read a statistic it was something like 5% of abortions are cases of rape/incest or where the mother's health is in danger.

Thats not to say that 95% of abortions are people using it for birth control. Just that if we're realistically looking at abortions, we need to realize that 95% of them are done as choice where there was no rape/incest or health issue.

Right haus, and this could just be me - there is a difference to me between choice and 'birth control'. Saying a woman uses abortion as a form of birth control, to me, implies they aren't using any other form of birth control (pill, condoms, etc.)

Ohh yeah, us slutty, pro-abortion socialists just LOVE using abortion as birth control! It's so much more convenient and less intrusive than the pill! I even hear it clears up your acne! And it's so cost-effective!

My issue with this, and parental notification, is that the less impeded one's access is to an abortion, the more likely she will get it sooner, and I think that really, even though we argue when exactly life begins, the fetus is much less "lifier" early in the first trimester, and the procedure much simpler. If this is going to make it harder for women in rural areas to get access, it's going to take them longer to find somewhere to do the procedure.

And it's just insulting, in so many ways.

Well, I found this:

www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html

I don't know much about the source, but it's an interesting read. 98% of abortions are elective (ie, not done for health reasons or due to rape/incest). Hausfrau - it does go into the reasons for elective abortions.

Interestingly, 17% of women cite failure of birth control. (Yikes!!!)

I have no ideas of this a good/unbiased source.

oh man... this is really beyond the pale. unbelievable.

17% cite failure of birth control?!?! What BS. Someone not talking their birth control pill is NOT failure of the pill.

Ya I don't like this law. Not cool.

Ya I don't like this law. Not cool.

If so few of the abortions performed are for reasons of incest or rape, then why aren't there exceptions for those cases? I just don't get it on that point.

failure of birth control could also include a condom, haus.

I think this is absolutely disgusting.
Imagine the women that have to have an abortion for medical reasons... this is just twisting the knife in the wound.

I wish that people would stop making laws for moral reasons!!! I don't want to have to live by what YOU think is moral. Laws are not created to guide society's moral compass.

Aw shinizzel, double post.

Maybe she should also have to wear the ultrasound around like a scarlet letter!

"17% cite failure of birth control?!?! What BS. Someone not talking their birth control pill is NOT failure of the pill." omgomgomgomg...omg... that is all.

'I wish that people would stop making laws for moral reasons!!! I don't want to have to live by what YOU think is moral. Laws are not created to guide society's moral compass.'

Amen!!!

And do anti-abortion activists really think if you outlaw abortions they are going to stop happening? By making (or in this case keeping) something legal you can better regulate and ensure safety.

I hadn't thought about it but that picture liberty used is a bit misleading and by a bit I mean a lot.

4 weeks

12 weeks

"Also, the high expense of ultrasound machines means clinics unable to afford them will not be able to provide low-income women access to abortions."

So is it possible that since the clinics they can afford won't be able to give low-income women abortions, they will end up having babies they can't afford? They wouldn't ALL put unwanted babies up for adoption.

" 'I wish that people would stop making laws for moral reasons!!! I don't want to have to live by what YOU think is moral. Laws are not created to guide society's moral compass.' "

Ummm... on what basis should we be making laws?

yy - very true, i suppose its the wording i don't like "failure of birth control" because 17% does not come anywhere close to what the proven effectiveness is on these devices.

I feel like that would be more accurate to read "failure to use birth control properly"

' I feel like that would be more accurate to read "failure to use birth control properly" '

Sorry for the confusion guys - the study actually states, "contraceptive failed despite proper use."

Thus: YIKES!!!!!