Pro-Abortion Ultrasound Hysteria

Virtually the entire world views ultrasound images of unborn children as magical, educational, beautiful, extraordinary, revolutionary! So, why the current pro-abortion hysteria over ultrasound? Because several state legislatures have had the audacity to introduce and/or pass legislation requiring that a woman seeking abortion view an ultrasound image of her own child. This common-sense requirement has unleashed an over-the-top torrent of criticism and distortions from pro-abortion individuals and groups.

Why? The answer is simple. Proponents of abortion are terrified about the prospect of a woman seeing her child on ultrasound — and deciding not to have an abortion. Abby Johnson, the former director of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic, told me directly that ultrasound requirements generate great fear in pro-abortion circles.

First, the facts. It is standard operating procedure that virtually all abortionists do an ultrasound prior to an abortion to pinpoint the age and location of the unborn child they are about to kill. They just don’t let the woman see the ultrasound. One study reported that 99% of abortion clinics use ultrasound prior to abortion, and the National Abortion Federation recommends ultrasound.

Now, the distortions, which have not surprisingly become part of the fictitious “war on women”:

• A transvaginal ultrasound, as the Virginia legislation was reportedly requiring, is “rape.” Honest. The hysteria was so intense that Virginia legislators backed off and changed the bill from something that did not even exist — there was no transvaginal ultrasound requirement. As an interesting aside, Sue Thayer, another former Planned Parenthood director, said she was informed that, even though she is a non-medical person, she would be required to do vaginal ultrasounds prior to RU 486 web cam abortions. Her objection to this requirement caused her to be fired.
• Cartoonist Gary Trudeau hammered and ridiculed Texas legislators for passing an ultrasound law, saying the provision had only one purpose — to “shame” women.
• The website rhrealitycheck.org, a fave of the pro-abortion crowd, went overboard with name-calling and distortions, knowing that their stated “objection” to the Virginia ultrasound legislation, that it required transvaginal ultrasound abortions, was specifically untrue. Turns out that rhrealitycheck.org opposes not only transvaginal ultrasounds, but all ultrasounds.
• An angry Virginia protester sent threatening, foul emails to Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and to the author of the Virginia ultrasound bill.

The irony of the hysteria is that abortion proponents deny the humanity of the unborn baby, at the same time as they work to ensure that a woman does not view her human unborn baby. Ultrasound laws have tremendous lifesaving potential. Eight states already require an ultrasound prior to an abortion. Watch for that number to grow, and for the hysteria to continue.

Barbara Lyons