Editorial 2

Nebraska is one of eleven states that are considering bills that may require women to receive an ultrasound before continuing with the abortion procedure. Sixteen states already have abortion-related ultrasound laws. Some of these require that the doctor show the patient the ultrasound, some require the patient to hear the fetus's heartbeat and some require the doctor to inform the patient where she can receive a free ultrasound.

The two proposed bills under speculation in Nebraska are LB675 and LB676. Legislative bill 675 would require doctors to show their patient the ultrasound before she would be permitted to receive the abortion. Oklahoma's version of the ultrasound bill, which is much like LB675, is currently facing a lawsuit against the center for Reproductive Rights, who claim that this bill violates privacy, endangers health and assaults dignity. Legislative bill 676 states that the doctor must tell the patient an ultrasound is available and refer her to a crisis pregnancy center that tries to discourage the woman from getting an abortion.

Both bills are a biased way of discouraging women from getting an abortion regardless of the circumstances or situation. If the goal of these two bills was to have absolutely no abortions, why are they skirting around the issue and why didn’t they propose to outlaw abortions altogether?

By forcing women to listen to the fetus’s heartbeat or look at the ultrasound, the bill is patronizing, humiliating and degrading women. It assumes that women going in to receive abortions are not informed and even suggests that they don’t realize they have a fetus inside of them. This bill is not concerned with the woman’s health or mental security but instead, determined to get rid of abortions altogether.

Everyone agrees that a decreased number of abortions in Nebraska is desired, but the bills being proposed do nothing more than fault the women without identifying the key cause. The goal is to decrease the number of abortions by assessing how to prevent the unwanted pregnancies to begin with. These women need to be informed before getting pregnant. Birth control and other preventatives need to be more accessible to women so the number of unwanted pregnancies decreases along with the number of abortions. If an abortion is sought, the woman needs to be referred to an unbiased counseling center to help her make the most appropriate decision for her situation.

ultrasound goals?

We all want decreased numbers reported for abortions.. but are they going about it the right way? What is wrong with their bill proposal as is?

1. They are attacking women in a vulnerable state.
2. They are not offering unbiased help.
3. They are not concerned with the health of the woman or fetus.
4. They are assuming that all women who go in to receive an abortion are completely ignorant to the fact that they have a fetus inside of them.

Required ultrasounds before abortion

Nebraska is one of eleven states that are considering bills that may require a more informative visit before receiving an abortion. Sixteen states already have abortion-related ultrasound laws. Some of these require that the doctor show the patient the ultrasound, while others are required to inform the patient where she can receive a free ultrasound.

Nebraska Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln offers two different views he has on informed consent. First, he suggested that Nebraska doctors be required to show their patient an ultrasound before she would be permitted to receive an abortion (LB675), much like the Oklahoma law that has caused a lot of controversy, however Oklahoma's law also requires the doctor to describe the picture to the patient. Fulton suggested this law despite the impending lawsuit from the Center for Reproductive Rights stating that it violates "privacy, endangers health and assaults dignity." Indiana's abortion ultrasound law similarly requires the patient to listen to the heartbeat rather than viewing the ultrasound.

The second option is much less intrusive and requires the doctor to tell the patient an ultrasound is available--but does not have to be performed(LB676). This bill seemed favorable because it would not bring in the constitutional issues.

South Carolina debated for over a year on the same issue and finally reached a similar compromise.

The main objective is to see a decline in the number of abortions in Nebraska. The goal is to better inform women who feel overwhelmed and vulnerable.

There is one problem still seen by pro-choicers on the subject. When women are given a referral to receive a free ultrasound it would be to a crisis pregnancy center, which aim to discourage women from getting an abortion, when rather they should be aimed at fully informing the woman to make the best decision for her situation.