Donated Ultrasound Machine is Intended to Prevent Abortions
A controversial new ultrasound machine has been added to a pregnancy clinic in Eugene, Oregon, where women will be shown the development of their child while in utero. According to the Catholic Times’ article from April 2, 2011, the Eugene Knights of Columbus purchased the equipment for $26,000 and donated it to the 1st Way Crisis Pregnancy center in downtown Eugene, which is located directly across the street from the city’s Planned Parenthood clinic.
At 1st Way, a non-profit and non-denominational crisis pregnancy center, women can receive free help for the distress of an unplanned pregnancy. When women come to the center, they will be shown ultrasound images of their unborn children on the ultrasound machine and listen to their child’s beating heart. The Catholic Church, along with many other anti-abortion entities, has taken a public stance against the practice of abortion, and believes that women who visit the center will consider other options for their unplanned pregnancies.
Studies have shown that women who are considering abortion will often reconsider upon seeing an ultrasound image and hearing the beating heart of their unborn child. As a result, many anti-abortion activist organizations are funding the purchase of ultrasound machines for free clinics that are funded by religious organizations. The 1st Way Crisis Pregnancy Clinic is one of many similar facilities designed to help women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy. In addition to providing health services and ultrasound imaging, many of these centers offer counseling and support services.
In some states, such as Florida, lawmakers are considering legislation that would make it illegal to get an abortion in the state without first undergoing an ultrasound. The law would make women who seek an abortion in Florida subject to both an ultrasound screening and the doctor’s detailed description of the developing fetus. While women would be allowed to sign a waiver refusing the ultrasound image, they would still need to hear the doctor’s description of the fetus.
