(South Carolina) Bill Would Mandate Ultrasound Before Abortion

[deadparrot]

March 16, 2007 — South Carolina lawmakers are considering legislation that would force women seeking abortions to view an ultrasound image of their fetus.

The proposed bill has angered abortion rights groups, who say politicians in South Carolina are trying to interfere in a medical decision women should make with their doctors.

"Politicians should not require a doctor to perform a medically unnecessary ultrasound, nor should they force a woman to view an ultrasound against her will," said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America in Washington, D.C.

"The women of South Carolina would rather talk to their doctor about information they need to make private, personal medical decisions. This is not a place for interference by politicians," said Keenan.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2958249&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

[aquart]

1. Do they also mandate healthcare, schooling, clothing.....

and supervision after birth? What are their plans for all these borns?

[sutz12]

2. Hey, why don't we just issue every doctor in America their own "fetus in a bottle?"

To display on the receptionist's desk, so every patient has to view it when they walk in.

:sarcasm:

[LiberalFighter]

26. If they want the patient to view an ultrasound I suggest...

they do an ultrasound of ANY Republicon's brain and have that posted for all the world to see.

[Up2Late]

3. The ReThugs here in Georgia are pushing the same thing.

I personally think it's time we ask these people what is it they REALLY want.

Do they want the "good old days" of sneaking their daughters off to some "Baby Farm" where they can be secretly pregnant, have their babies taken from them while under sedation, so they can be sold to Rich White families?:mad:

Yes, it was such a simple time then. :sarcasm:

[saigon68]

5. The "rich white families" won't want to adopt the dark ones

The chimp and his ilk have plans for the dark ones to fight and die in the "oilwars" for the profit of the "rich ones"

[TheConstantGardener]

15. What screwed up piece of legislation won't they push in our state?

Right now they're passing "Confederate Month" though they won't raise the minimum wage like 85% of Georgians want.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Not to mention the cost. Probably will be completely out of pocket.

An otherwise affordable procedure for under $500 for a patient less than 8 weeks is now much more expensive, perhaps prohibitive.

[Orsino]

9. Ah. A poll tax, you think?

I wouldn't put it past 'em.

[nodehopper]

11. you have to have an ultrasound before an abortion

no one is going to give you an abortion without an ultrasound, it's included in the cost (or the sliding scale fee, if you are going to a planned parenthood branch that does sliding fees). This is so they can estimate the gestational age of the fetus--the procedure is different depending on how far along you are, the costs are different, and obviously different states have different legal limits.

no, what they want to do is to make the women VIEW the ultrasounds that are already being done--which is f*cked up. like, what if they don't want to look? are they going to hold their eyelids open, clockwork-orange style?

[Judi Lynn]

14. You bet! Not only do they not have the ultimate right to their own bodies, they can't

be allowed to see or not see what they alone choose to see. Let's get those eye-clamps out.

[youngdem]

6. I have a few other riders to attach to the bill

Before you vote FOR a war, you have to sign up all of your children to fight.

Before you mention God anywhere in government under any circumstances, you must PROVE his existence with photographs or other tangible evidence BEFORE proselytizing.

Before your run for president, you have to pass a geography and world leaders quiz.

Before a jury sentences someone to death, they have to watch a video with sound of a real execution.

And finally, before a VP shoots a shotgun, he should be required to look to see if his lawyer is between his gun and the dove he is trying to kill.

All life is precious, ya know.

[Vinca]

7. If the South Carolina legislature is smart enough to practice medicine,

they should know that what they'll see on an ultrasound prior to an early abortion is something that looks like a puff ball. They won't see a miniature kid waving his arms. I understand if they're concerned about late term abortions, but this is something that should be left to a woman, her physician, her husband and any higher being she might feel the need to consult.

[donsu]

8. Ultrasound is not good for the body - like xrays

sometimes they are necessary, but if not necessary they shouldn't be used.

male control freaks are so fascinated/scared of women's wombs that they feel the need to control them.

enough already! get the hell out of women's business.

[gravity]

10. Ultrasounds are safe

You can't compare them to Xrays which are much more dangerous to the developing fetus. There has been no confirmed negative effects on development, and there are many benefits from early detections of problems.

This law is completely stupid though. The only thing it accomplishes is making a woman feel even worst after performing an abortion.

[sutz12]

12. Or before.....; nt

[humbled_opinion]

25. DOH.... That part was supposed to be misunderstood. n/t

[nodehopper]

13. ultrasounds are nothing like x-rays

there is NO radiation. no harmful particles. there are paranoid ramblings about ultrasounds being unsafe in the super-natural-birth movement, but they have never been able to offer ANY proof except for the logical fallacy of "once we thought x-rays were safe and then they turned out not to be, WHO IS TO SAY THAT WON'T HAPPEN WITH ULTRASOUNDS"--not a shred of scientific evidence.

[hadrons]

16. who will pay for this????

[nodehopper]

22. you HAVE to have an ultrasound before an abortion

no one will perform an abortion on you without an ultrasound first, that is status quo already, they are not legislating new ultrasounds, they are legislating making women WATCH them, which is so bizarre and effed up.

[DemKR]

17. This is absolutely the most disgusting bill, I hope it fails

[Telly Savalas]

18. I assume they are carrying this reasoning to it's logical conclusion

and that there's another bill in the legislature demanding that newspapers print photographs of wounded and maimed Iraqi children on the front page every day until we withdraw.

[Judi Lynn]

19. And if they won't look at them, they should be forced to sit in a chair and have someone

demand that they look at those photos.

I think they really love the idea of blowing up living, breathing, thinking people in other countries, especially if they are brown or black people, and undoubtedly they would enjoy blowing up people in "socialist" countries, as well, since they view them as enemies, also. God knows the sky's the limit when it comes to dealing out suffering and grief to helpless "enemies." That's how compassionate they really are.

[Betty]

29. and also show the flag draped cofffins

of our returning soldiers... and show our wounded. If full disclosure is what they are promoting, then they should be consistent.

[alcibiades_mystery]

20. Are they gonna force the women to LOOK at it, Clockwork Orange style?

Are they going to force technicians to interpret the images for the women?

We had an ultrasound for my daughter at 10 weeks. Without the technician's descriptions, it might as well have been a Doppler radar of weather conditions over Indonesia.

[nodehopper]

24. my thoughts exactly.

[JerseygirlCT]

21. How much healthcare could be provided for those who need it

for the cost of those medically unnecessary ultrasounds?

And... who is supposed to pay for those US, anyway?

[nodehopper]

23. I think people in this thread are missing the point

they are not legislating new ultrasounds. you already HAVE to have an ultrasound before an abortion. NO provider will do an abortion without a woman having an ultrasound first--they need it to establish gestation (because the procedure options and the costs vary depending on how far along the woman is) and to make sure that they are in compliance with the laws in their states (the number of weeks for cut-off vary by state).

no, what this law is trying to legislate it MAKING WOMEN WATCH these ultrasounds. Which is just...so insane. I mean, how are they going accomplish that, strap women in, and hold their eyelids open clockwork-orange style?

[depakid]

27. Of course, it's just a smokescreen

These kinds of people won't be satisfied until birth control is outlawed (along vibrators) and if the Dems cave on another Bush nomination the the Supreme Court, I have no doubt whatsoever that in certain states like South Carolina, they'll get their way.

[daleo]

28. This is the ultimate in bully behavior

"Look, dammit, look! I am going to make you look whether you want to or not!"

[noonwitch]

30. It costs too much

Their goal is to make abortion too expensive of a procedure for most women to be able to afford. I don't know much about standard insurance coverage, I am fortunate to have really good coverage. I'm not sure if my policy covers it still, but when I was hired it did. I think it still does, I'm in the UAW.

If women who are considering abortion want to have an ultrasound first, Right to Life and other similar agencies have made it very clear that they will perform one for free, or find a way to get the woman a free one. They advertise this.

[NoodleyAppendage]

31. Save the babies...but screw them if they decide to have sex.

So, the Christofascists want to mandate a procedure in hopes of decreasing abortions, but they freak out if the state wants to mandate a vaccine that would prevent deadly cervical cancer?

It's exactly this sort of twisted, dumbass logic that made me the atheist I am today. Thank you Christofascists for opening my eyes to REALITY.

J

[all.of.me]

32. 'force' - i don't like that word.

no one should be forcing anyone to do anything at any time. bunch of control freaks. why don't they control themselves instead?!