New Bill Would Require Doctors to Perform Sonogram Before Abortion

Doctors will soon have to perform a sonogram before conducting an abortion.

The controversial new bill must now be signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry, who supports it.

Once the bill is signed into law, the woman will have a chance to see the results of the sonogram and hear the fetal heartbeat.

Texas will join Oklahoma and South Dakota requiring a sonogram for women seeking an abortion.

At least 24 hours before an abortion, doctors will be required to describe what the sonogram shows.

“Many times they’ve been told that it’s a ball of tissue. When you see the sonogram, you understand that there’s a beating heart, there’s two arms, there’s two legs, there’s fingers that are being formed,” said House of Hope Director Nydia Correa.

She said the law makes sure a woman understands the decision she’s about to make. “To say that seeing a picture is traumatizing … that’s not the traumatizing part. Having an abortion is much more traumatizing.”

According to the law, in cases of incest, rape or fetal abnormality, the woman doesn’t have to hear the description of the fetus.

“We already do that, ” said administrator Gerri Laster of Reproductive Services–an abortion provider.

She said the new law won’t have an effect on how they do things already or on a woman’s decision to terminate the pregnancy. “By the time she comes through the door, that decision is pretty firm and intact, and it doesn’t change.”

The Texas medical association opposed the bill because it said the bill dictates how the doctor must deal with his or her patient.

El Pasoans have mixed emotions.

“I think it’s an intrusion into a woman’s privacy the government has no right to intrude. That’s between a woman and her family.”

“It makes them think about it long and hard and makes them re-evaluate what they’re trying to do and whether or not they should do it or not.”

The bill passed both the House and the Senate with a two-thirds majority, meaning the law will go into effect immediately after the governor signs it.

There is little doubt that Perry will put his signature on the bill.

Early in the legislative session, he declared the bill to be an emergency, meaning it was on the fast track to passage.