Sonya’s Law: Allowing a Woman to See Her Baby Through Ultrasound

Sonya, mother of two children, learned she was pregnant with her third child this past November. Sonya was stunned – how could this be? She had taken precautions — but now she was pregnant. Sonya worried about how she could handle another child, emotionally and financially. She seriously thought about abortion.

Sonya saw a bus ad about a free ultrasound and decided to have one. She learned she was seven weeks pregnant. Once she saw her child and realized his heart was beating, Sonya made an emotional connection with her baby and made the decision to carry him to term. Sonya will deliver a baby boy in July.

The state legislature is likely to take up Sonya’s Law, legislation which provides a baby with the opportunity for his mother to see him through ultrasound before his mother makes a choice about how to proceed with her pregnancy. Under Sonya’s Law, the woman can choose the type of ultrasound after all options are explained to her. The ultrasound helps to determine the age of the baby.

Questions raised by opponents can be responded to as follows:

Will Sonya’s Law force women to have a specific type of ultrasound?
No. It is up to the woman to choose the type of ultrasound she prefers after all options are explained to her. The actual language in Sonya’s Law states:

“…perform an obstetric ultrasound on the pregnant woman, using whichever transducer the woman chooses after the options have been explained to her.”

Sonya’s Law would also allow for a woman to visualize the heartbeat of her child during the ultrasound.

In other states, based to some degree on language in proposed legislation, opponents of laws like Sonya’s Law have claimed that the bill requires a specific type of ultrasound. This is not true in Wisconsin’s proposed law.

Why does Sonya’s Law require a medical procedure?
Sonya’s Law is designed to let the woman have full information about her child before she makes a choice on her pregnancy.

It is common practice for abortion clinics to perform ultrasounds for medical reasons to determine how far along a woman is in her pregnancy. In most cases, they do not offer to let the woman see the ultrasound image.

Does the ultrasound increase the cost of the abortion?
Not usually. Ultrasound is generally included in the abortion cost. Sonya’s Law will provide information on where a woman can receive a free ultrasound if one is not available from the abortion clinic.

What other provisions does Sonya’s Law have to provide safety to women?
Sonya’s Law requires the person performing the abortion to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion facility. This provision protects women who need hospital treatment if there are complications from the abortion.

It is time for Wisconsin to enact Sonya’s Law to help women connect with their own babies, and provide new safety measures for them.

Barbara Lyons