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Oklahoma's new abortion legislation - have you heard about this?!
This is the first I'm hearing about this...have I been living under a rock or has this not been widely publicized?
I think it's beyond outrageous that a dr. could decide not to tell a woman that her child has a birth defect. Please tell me I'm missing something here, because this makes no sense to me WHAT SO EVER.
https://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/04/28/carr.abortion.oklahoma/index.html?iref=allsearch
New York (CNN) -- As a reproductive rights advocate and a proud mother of two, my blood ran cold as I read about Oklahoma's new abortion legislation (HB 2656). The state of Oklahoma just decided, and by an appallingly high margin I might add, that a doctor is protected from being sued if he or she chooses not to tell a woman that the baby she is carrying has a birth defect.
State legislators made this decision Tuesday, voting 36-12 in the Senate and 84-12 in the House to override Gov. Brad Henry's veto of this law. (The Legislature also overrode the governor's veto of a second egregious law, HB 2780, which forces women to view an ultrasound before having an abortion.)
Oklahoma, what have you done?
Under this new law, a doctor may withhold information, mislead or even blatantly lie to a pregnant woman and her partner about the health of their baby if the doctor so much as thinks that fetal test results would cause a woman to consider abortion.
As expected, the anti-abortion movement is claiming victory. But this bill isn't "anti-abortion." It is devastating because it is anti-motherhood and anti-medicine.
When I found out I was pregnant with each of my children, like every woman who has ever undergone fetal testing, I held my breath at each doctor's appointment. I didn't let it go until the doctor or the tech said, "Everything looks great." I seized up when they took out the blood work results and I didn't relax until I heard, "It all came back negative."
But a woman in Oklahoma no longer gets to exhale. Because now, when a doctor says, "Everything looks fine," she has to wonder; does it really? Oklahoma politicians have now said that she can no longer count on the sacred trust that always existed between her and her doctor. A doctor may now lie to her face and, in doing so, deny a woman what is quite possibly the most important piece of information she will ever receive in her life.
The very thought makes my breath catch even now. The information you get on those visits matters to every woman getting prenatal care, regardless of what she decides to do based upon the results. The legislators have decided that a woman, when she becomes pregnant, loses the right to full, honest information from her doctor.
It is her right to know this information. It is how she and her family determine what to do next, not only to decide if they want to continue a pregnancy, but also to consider how they will prepare to care for a special needs child.
What specialist will they turn to? What support will they require? Who will hold their hand in the delivery room if a child is born who will only live an hour, or a day? Does she want to call her own mom in from across the country or does she want to grieve silently with her partner? What will they tell the children they already have?
Doesn't every family have the right to the information that may help them decide the course of their future or the future of their child? According to the Oklahoma State Legislature, they no longer do.
These politicians have decided they know best what women need. They are wrong.
I ask each politician in Oklahoma who voted yes on this bill: How dare you? How dare you deny a woman the peace of mind that her baby is healthy? How dare you not give her and her family time to prepare if, God forbid, her baby is not? How is this bill "pro-life"? How is this mockery of medical care and paternalistic devaluing of women, "pro-life"?
This bill is anti-mom, it's anti-doctor and it is anti-family. And all women, regardless of how they feel about abortion, should be appalled. I hope the courts stand up for the women and families whom politicians have turned their backs on and find this law unconstitutional and flat-out wrong.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mary Alice Carr.
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Re: Oklahoma's new abortion legislation - have you heard about this?!
WTF???? that is the most horrendous thing I've heard!
I wonder now...what is the point in having all those tests done if the drs arent gonna let them know.
Not only this, but if FORCES victims of rape and incest to have a sonogram before an abortion AND requires the doctor to go into full detail about the fetus' body parts AND requires that they turn the screen to face the abused woman.
The misogyny and intimidation used in this law is hideous. Oklahoma should be ashamed.
Alex (11/14/06) and Nate (5/25/10)
"Want what you have, do what you can, be who you are." - Rev. Forrest Church
It's amazing what men (and some women sadly) will do to control women and their reproductive rights, isn't it? It doesn't get more chillingly paternalistic and patronizing that withholding medical information from women because they 'can't be trusted with it.'
This is misogyny at it's very purest, and it's so so scary! I believe this is a human rights violation. And, in case anyone needed proof that the anti-choice movement is really more about controlling women than caring about children...well here you go!
Exactly. It's disgusting.
Okay, I don't really see why this is wrong? The alternative is complete ignorance about the stage of pregnancy. Should someone really get an abortion without knowing exactly what's going to happen? Should it be okay for the doctors to lie in that situation and say, Oh no, its not a fetus. There's no heartbeat. Its just a tumor growing inside you.
It likely won't stand up, and on top of that the governor vetoed it if I remember right. However, the Senate/House in OK overruled his veto so it is officially the law now, unfortunately.
Seriously? Imagine your 13 year daughter is raped and becomes pregnant and then on top of that, being forced to go through THIS experience as well. I surely would not wish that on a woman (or girl) who has already been traumatized.
We're just going to have to agree to disagree about that. I don't believe a woman who has been raped should be forced to look at the fetus she is aborting. Honstly, I dont' believe ANY woman should be forced to look at the fetus she is aborting. It's unconscionably intimidating and misogynistic and a total violation of her constitutional rights. Clearly I'm pro-choice and perhaps you are not, but this law is so woman-hating it blows my mind.
But that's the point! The Drs have total control of the information and how it's presented. If a rape victim comes in and wants an abortion, the Dr will FORCE her to look at images of her fetus and LISTEN to the Dr tell her that her baby has 10 fingers and 10 toes and looks perfect and is hiccuping and sucking it's thumb. How are those things relevant to her decision to abort? Women seeking an abortion KNOW there is a fetus with a heartbeat inside of them. Drs dont have to lie to them about that. That's the REASON for the abortion.
The same goes for a woman who might consider abortion should her fetus have genetic or congenital abnormalities. Why should her Dr say "Yep, everything looks fine! Healthy baby." When it's not true! That is SOLELY and COMPLETELY for the benefit of the Dr's personal views on a potential abortion.
Uh, no. The alternative is a woman being able to make a medical decision without intimidation and unnecessary trauma. Women seeking abortions are not stupid, FFS. They know what a fetus is.
I cannot even wrap my head around how wrong this law is. Yes, I am pro-choice, but even if I wasn't who would think it is ok for a doctor to lie to you?? What about people (like myself) who would want to know about problems so they can properly prepare thamselves for it???
I wonder what doctors there think of this? I know I'd be pissed. I am sorry, but if certain doctors don't like abortion then just state that to your patients and don't preform them.