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Abortion, Editorials, News, Opnion, Politics, vaginal ultrasound
A blogging buddy of mine alerted me the other day to a bill making its way through the Virginia legislature that would require woman who would like a legal abortion to submit to a vaginal ultrasound.
The alleged purpose of this required ultrasound is to “determine gestational age.” My blogging buddy believes that the purpose of this requirement is to guilt the woman out of getting an abortion. More than likely, both reasons are correct, but I would presume that the guilt factor was the motivation to get this bill passed.
The bill itself was approved by the Virginia House of Delegates, with the amendment that the woman receive an external ultrasound.
Per the linked article, here is what Virginia governor Bob McDonnell had to say in regards to changing the bill:
It is clear that in the majority of cases, a routine external, transabdominal ultrasound is sufficient to meet the bills stated purpose, that is, to determine gestational age. I have come to understand that the medical practice and standard of care currently guide physicians to use other procedures to find the gestational age of the child, when abdominal ultrasounds cannot do so. Determining gestational age is essential for legal reasons, to know the trimester of the pregnancy in order to comply with the law, and for medical reasons as well.
Thus, having looked at the current proposal, I believe there is no need to direct by statute that further invasive ultrasound procedures be done. Mandating an invasive procedure in order to give informed consent is not a proper role for the state. No person should be directed to undergo an invasive procedure by the state, without their consent, as a precondition to another medical procedure.
Gee, Bob, of course there’s no need for a vaginal ultrasound when an external one would suffice. Then again, since your proposed vaginal ultrasound mandate met the federal requirements of rape you had no choice but to back off.
I will concur that because you must be less than 22 weeks pregnant to receive a legal abortion an attempt must be made ascertain fetal age. That, however, is normally determined by the date of the woman’s last cycle. During the pregnancies of both my ex-wife and current wife, ultrasounds did not change the expected due date by more than a handful of days. Even then, it wasn’t changed until 20 weeks or later. So, I call bullshit on the need for any ultrasound at all.
Any woman dead set on getting an abortion will get one no matter what obstacles you place in her way. As long as abortion is legal, women are going to continue to have them. If it becomes outlawed, they will still continue to have them, as was the case before 1973.
I’ve gone on record as being anti-abortion, but, really, can we give up this fight? Conservatives have been fighting this battle since 1973 when abortion was legalized. Our efforts would be better utilized elsewhere. This nation faces a multitude of issues currently, and I just fail to see why abortion is even on anyone’s radar. We are still in the midst of a recession. Our economic system needs to be reformed. Our welfare system also needs to be reformed. Illegal immigration needs to be addressed. We are still at war in Afghanistan. We will likely be at war with Iran soon. China and other southeast Asia countries are taking all of our jobs. There are millions of homeless people roaming the streets of our decaying cities. Crime runs rampant in those very same cities. Mexican drug cartels are moving into our southern states and murdering our citizens and our police officers. Somebody please explain to me how outlawing abortion is more important than any of these issues because I just don’t get it.
I’m glad that they have backed away from the most ridiculous part of this bill, but I seriously think that they should just drop the entire thing and concentrate on making Virginia, and the Unites States as a whole, a better place to live.
That’s my two cents. Care to deposit yours?
Excellent points. I too would classify myself as anti-abortion, HOWEVER, I believe that we should have the legal rights to do so if there are valid reasons. As my morals aren’t in concert with another woman’s that is her business. The government should ensure licensed doctors in regulated clinics (just like ANY medical facility) is up to par, but other than that, leave it be. It isn’t going away. As you rightly point out, we have far bigger issues. Then again, doesn’t the government prefer bickering over little crap in hopes you don’t notice the chaos about to erupt?
I guess that’s what they prefer. I really couldn’t fathom what one of those idiots could be thinking. Most of them do whatever they think will keep them in office instead of considering what the right thing to do is, I think.
It’s sad how far this country has fallen.
I thought I heard somewhere that 50% of women decide to have the baby after they see an ultra-sound, but I hear so many things, I don’t know for sure. We do have a lot to tackle in this family called the United States, don’t we…blessings…
I’ve never seen any statistics in regards to that. If that’s true that’s great, but I still believe the government should focus more on governing than trying to control our personal lives. Whether or not abortion is legal, abortions will still be performed. As with marijuana, you can outlaw it but it won’t go away. The best thing is to regulate it and make it safer for those who do it.
Again, I don’t agree with abortion and if I had my say it wouldn’t be legal. I fully believe after hearing the heartbeats of three little fetuses that fetuses are a life worth protecting, but it just isn’t an issue that should be at the forefront presently. Also, as cold as it may seem to look at this way, it prevents further overpopulation on a planet already strained with providing resources for the 7 billion people we already have.
I have actually read that the planet can support at least 270 billion. Do we need to get wiser about how we treat the earth so that we can welcome all? Absolutely. Killing potential will never help us solve our problems…I understand where you are coming from, though, when you say a woman who is convinced to have an abortion will find a way to do it, but some women are feeling so desperate at the time that they don’t realize what they are about to do until someone shows them the heartbeat…Abortion is scarring a lot of women, but should our govt. be working on other things? I don’t know the answer to that…They do definitely need to back off in some areas of our lives for sure.
I don’t know how the planet can support 270 billion people when we scarcely have enough food to support the 7 billion. Perhaps 270 billion can fit on the planet, but I doubt Earth could sustain that many people on it.
Where would we grow the food? Where would they all live? Could you imagine how much hotter this planet would be with another 263 billion people on it? That’s a lot of body heat.
I wasn’t suggesting that abortion should be justified because of overpopulation, I was merely stating that that was a cold way to look at it.
As far as abortion scarring a lot of women, it probably should. You’ve essentially murdered your own child when you’ve had an abortion. Well, you paid someone else to murder your child.
Some people, however, only learn from making their own mistakes and will need heed the advice of others. People think they know everything and that they know best. Once upon a time I thought I knew everything.
I definitely feel that the government seems to be more interested in regulating our personal lives instead of the country.
Ultimately, I just feel that it’s time to give up the abortion fight and focus on more important matters, of which there are plenty.
Well, since I can’t find the title of the book where the author when into a detailed statistical outlook on how much the planet can really produce, I can go no further with that one. The reason some people are starving is because their own governments are making it extremely difficult to make it in this world, a lack of organization, lack of listening, etc…We throw away a lot of food that not even one consumer sees, so, yes, we have plenty, we are just being dumb about the whole thing…I would hope that when we stop have this fetish to kill our young, we might be able to concentrate on better solutions, like space travel???:)thanks, brother
I don’t think it’s a fetish or a phase. The human race has always been violent and done sick things to each other.
It’s only because of the quick availability of such information nowadays (internet, radio, TV) that we hear about such atrocities.
Unfortunately, I don’t think civilization will change. We can always hope!
Twindaddy, you nailed it. Thanks. As the blogging buddy mentioned, I’m somewhat pleased with the outcome, although the VA legislature is still demanding ultrasounds (state sponsored unnecessary medical whether internal or external), cutting access to birth control to folks who need it most (without being willing to pay for, raise, etc. those born as a result of lack of contraceptives)… the list goes on and on.
These folks, the Republicans, all ran on a JOBS platform. They haven’t provided one, and the state, which last year was voted “best state to start a business in” has lost that mantle.
Whenever someone is running on social issues (on either side) they have no real ideas. Period.
Great post.
The ultrasounds really aren’t necessary. An ultrasound isn’t necessary to provide the age of the fetus, as I stated in my post.
As to the rest of your reply, I really can’t comment as I have no clue in regards to Virginia politics. However, they should be working on creating jobs instead of outlawing abortion. Considering both issues, which one makes the state (and country) a better place to live? The answer is obviously creating jobs. That’s where the focus should lay currently. Abortion is something that might be addressed when all other problems have been resolved (scoff).