Proposed Senate Bill 632 would require women to to receive an ultrasound 24 to 72 hours prior to her abortion, either receive a photo of the embryo/fetus or listen to a description of the size and anatomical features of the fetus, and listen to an real-time audio of the heart oscillations. These requirements only serve to shame and belittle a woman seeking an abortion and increase the difficulty of her to obtain an abortion via mandatory waiting periods.
Dear Congressman,
I urge you not to support Senate Bill 632. This bill does not represent my interests and seeks to needlessly complicate the process for women seeking abortions.
This bill would require a 24 to 72 hour waiting period between when a woman had an ultrasound to when a woman obtained an abortion. Due to the inadaquate number of abortion clinics in our state, this would make it more difficult for women traveling long distances and taking off work to have their needs met in a timely fashion.
Furthermore, the bill seeks to further humiliate and shame women who have already chosen an abortion by requiring providers to offer the woman a viewing of the ultrasound and if she declines, she is made to listen as the provider gives her a:
"simultaneous verbal explanation of the results of the live, real-time ultrasound images, including a medical description of the dimensions of the embryo or fetus, the presence of cardiac activity, and the presence of arms, legs, external members and internal organs, and provide a copy of the ultrasound image to the woman "
Additionally, the woman is then made to listen to the real-time heart oscillations while her provider goes on to explain what she is hearing.
Not only are these proposals an offensive, shameless attempt to humiliate women; place women seeking abortions through greater stress and trauma than they are already undergoing; and infringe upon a woman's autonomy and right to chose what is best for her own body.
Upon further examination, these requirements are often medically unfeasible to enact! This is due to the fact that, transabdominal ultrasounds, which are what this bill calls for, are generally unable to detect heartbeats or images of the embryo or fetus within the first trimester, when most abortions take place.
Finally, this legislation would undoubtably tie up the valuable taxpayer resources, as Tennessee courts have previously ruled against waiting periods for women seeking abortions and due to a privacy clause in the Tennessee state constitution which inhibits the state from being able to require women to have an ultrasound prior to an abortion.
I would ask that you act in the best interest of your constituents and not support any part of this bill.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Citizen
