Yay, I think. The VA Senate passed a bill requiring women seeking abortions to have an ultrasound first. As this is the standard of care for the safety of the mother, I count this among other sensible moves to regulate abortion clinics in the same way other ambulatory clinics are regulated.
There's been some pro-life kvetching about Gov. McDonnell's call for an amendment (which passed) to exclude any requirement for a trans-vaginal sonogram (because a standard sonogram wouldn't tell you much in the early weeks of pregnancy).
I found that a tough call. I am informed by folks lobbying for the bill and in the know that reputable medical professionals already do t-v sonograms in early pregancy -- again, because this is the standard of care. Therefore the requirement in practice would have meant nothing more than the physician or clinician turning the sonogram screen around so the patient could see it.
That might be right, but I still have to side with the Guv....I'm not comfortable with our side being the one to introduce the government-mandated genital probe into law. (Insert your own TSA joke here.)
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