A Colorado Republican legislator joined with Democrats on a state Senate committee to defeat pro-life legislation that would allow women a chance to see an ultrasound of their unborn baby before having an abortion. When women see an ultrasound of their unborn child, they often reconsider their decision to have an abortion.
A survey conducted by the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA), a national legal network of pro-life pregnancy centers, showed how powerful ultrasounds are in changing the minds of abortion-minded and abortion-vulnerable patients.
“Four-hundred and ten (410) of NIFLA’s medical membership (less than one-half) reported providing 75,318 ultrasound confirmations of pregnancy in 2013 on patients identified as either abortion-minded or abortion-vulnerable. Of these abortion at risk patients, 58,634 chose to carry to term, indicating that 78% of those mothers who saw an ultrasound image of their unborn child before deciding about abortion chose life,” the group indicated.
Sarah Zagorski, the director of Colorado Citizens for Life, the statewide pro-life group, said she is disappointed the bill died in a committee Republicans control.
“Yesterday, SB 285 was defeated in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee with a vote of 3-2. If passed, it would have required abortionists to provide accurate ultrasound and medical information to women seeking abortions, as well as require women to provide voluntary and informed consent prior to an abortion. Currently, in the United States, 34 states have laws similar to SB 285 already in place,” she said.
Zagorski said that, during the committee hearing, NARAL and Planned Parenthood argued that the legislation would force women to have ultrasounds that they don’t want and place undue burden on them since it called for a 24-hour waiting period.
“However, the legislation does not force women to do anything; it simply gives them the option to see a picture of their baby before the abortion. Additionally, waiting periods prior to abortions are important because it gives women time to consider all their options before making such a grave and irreversible choice,” she added.
- Kevin Lundberg, 303-866-4853, [email protected]
- Larry Crowder, 303-866-4875, [email protected]
- Beth Huminek, 303-866-4863, [email protected]
- Linda Newell, 303-866-4846, [email protected]
- Irene Aguilar, 303-866-4852, [email protected]
