Planned Parenthood is going after yet another Indiana law this week because it requires that women receive an ultrasound and information about abortion before making a final decision.
On Thursday, the abortion business and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the Indiana informed consent law, arguing that it puts an “undue burden” on women seeking abortions, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.
The measure amended the state’s informed consent law to require that women receive an ultrasound at least 18 hours before having an abortion. It went into effect on July 1. The law also requires that women receive information about the abortion, its risks and alternatives, as well as information about their unborn child.
Mike Fichter, president of Indiana Right to Life, told LifeNews that the abortion industry is trying to keep women from seeing their unborn babies before making a final decision about abortion.
“Once again Planned Parenthood is showing that it is more concerned about its revenue than women’s health,” Fichter said. “This new suit in Indiana seeks to block women from having the opportunity to view an ultrasound of their babies at least 18 hours in advance of an abortion so these women have ample opportunity to be informed about the new life inside of them before making abortion decisions.
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He continued: “PP doesn’t want to cut into their revenue, nor do they want women to have time to reconsider abortion. If PP truly cared for women, they would support this law instead of being obsessed over maximizing revenue by limiting their overhead.”
In comments to LifeNews, Fichter added:
“Planned Parenthood admits they only have ultrasound equipment at four of its 23 locations around the state. For an organization focused on women’s health, that is alarming. In contrast, dozens of pro-life centers throughout Indiana offer free ultrasounds to women considering abortion. These units have been purchased by gifts from thousands of Hoosiers who care deeply about women and their health, and who believe women deserve to be truly informed.
“This lawsuit comes at the same time as Planned Parenthood announces facility closures in Indiana. The abortion giant is using the guise of convenience in this lawsuit. In reality, this lawsuit and its closures are about profit because Planned Parenthood’s business model is built around abortion.
“If Planned Parenthood truly cared for women, they would support this law instead of being obsessed over maximizing revenue by limiting their overhead. This is all about making the most money they can from killing children.”
In the lawsuit, the abortion business argues that the 18-hour waiting period will force women to make two trips to their abortion centers, which could be financially burdensome.
“The requirement that women obtain an ultrasound at least 18 hours before an abortion, as opposed to allowing [the Indiana Planned Parenthood affiliate] to continue its practice of providing one immediately prior to the abortion, provides no health benefit to women and serves only to place a substantial obstacle to obtaining an abortion,” said Ken Falk, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, in a statement. “This law, therefore, is an unconstitutional undue burden on abortion access.”
In making the announcement, the pro-abortion groups referred to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Texas abortion facility regulations. The justices argued that the Texas regulations, which led to the closure of abortion clinics that could not or would not protect women’s health, caused an “undue burden” to women seeking abortions. The case has emboldened abortion activists to challenge common sense abortion laws across the country.
Indiana has been a key target of abortion activists. Earlier this summer, Planned Parenthood and the ACLU also filed a lawsuit against an Indiana law that protects unborn babies from discriminatory abortions based on genetic abnormalities like Down syndrome, sex or race. At the end of June, the pro-abortion groups convinced a judge to block the law temporarily while their lawsuit continues through the courts.
Indiana Right to Life predicted that U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, who was appointed by pro-abortion President Barack Obama, would block the Dignity for the Unborn law from taking effect. Pratt has a history of siding with the abortion lobby; Pratt blocked provisions of a 2011 Indiana law that denied taxpayer funds to abortion businesses and required that pregnant women be told about an unborn child’s ability to feel pain.
Pratt also will be the judge hearing the lawsuit challenging the informed consent law, according to local news reports.
