ARTICLES

Ultrasound Assembly Bill Stirs Concerns

California Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian, who represents North San Diego County, recently introduced a bill, AB 2106, that would "require an ultrasound to be performed on a woman seeking an abortion within 24 hours prior to the abortion procedure and would require the ultrasound to be shown to the woman prior to commencing the abortion procedure."

Kaloogian wrote the bill, says his press secretary, Dennis Lhota, "first of all because of health concerns -- we're talking about a surgical procedure." Also, it "puts a face to the procedure," he adds.

Tom Glessner, president and chief counsel of the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, is concerned about such a bill.

"The effectiveness of ultrasound is only as good as the honesty and integrity of the person operating the system," he says. "An abortion doctor who has a financial interest in securing an abortion would most likely manipulate the imaging on the screen to convince the woman that she is looking at nothing but a 'blob of pregnancy tissue.' One could easily show a woman her kidneys on the machine and tell her, 'See, there is nothing there.' The woman, not knowing any better, would then be comforted in seeking an abortion because she would not understand that life is within her."

-- T.M.