Remember that mandated ultrasound bill Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell ran away from? It’s back, in revised form, and signed into law.
Amid continued protests from Democrats, Republican Governor Bob McDonnell on Wednesday signed into law a controversial bill requiring Virginia women to undergo an ultrasound procedure prior to having an abortion.
The bill sparked national debate this month over a provision that would have required many women to undergo transvaginal ultrasounds, which opponents decried as medically unnecessary and physically invasive. McDonnell, a conservative who opposes abortion rights, ultimately requested that mandate be stripped. The Virginia House of Delegates passed a revised version last week that allows women to “reject” a transvaginal ultrasound and instead opt for an abdominal ultrasound, which generally yields less information in the early stages of a pregnancy.
In a statement Wednesday, McDonnell reiterated his support for the bill, which he argues will provide additional information that “can help the mother make a fully informed decision” about having an abortion.
Help the mother make a fully informed decision. Hmm… Help the woman feel shame by forcing her to undergo an unnecessary medical procedure. There. Fixed that for you.
And speaking of “informing” women… The Arizona Senate has just passed the “what you don’t know could hurt you, but you won’t be able to sue me” bill.
It’s called a “wrongful birth” bill and it’s all about preventing women from having an abortion, even if it kills them. The Arizona Senate passed a bill this week that gives doctors a free pass to not inform pregnant women of prenatal problems because such information could lead to an abortion.
In other words, doctors can intentionally keep critical health information from pregnant women and can’t be sued for it. According to the Arizona Capitol Times, “the bill’s sponsor is Republican Nancy Barto of Phoenix. She says allowing the medical malpractice lawsuits endorses the idea that if a child is born with a disability, someone is to blame.” So Republicans are banning lawsuits against doctors who keep information from pregnant women so as to prevent them from choosing to have an abortion.
Hey, if your doctor is “pro-life” and he decides not to tell you about certain conditions concerning your pregnancy for fear that you’d choose an abortion, well… that’s his/her right. And if there’s a problem with your baby, or if you end up dying? You, or your loved ones, can’t sue the doctor. But… but… what are your rights? Stop being silly, you silly women. Everyone knows that rights are reserved for men and fetuses. You are merely a vessel.
If I was going to have a baby I’d make damn sure I knew my doctor’s politics.