Prenatal US issues and questions

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Times Against Humanity - O tempora, o mores! points out this article about non-medical use of prenatal ultrasound imaging.
The author is a pro-life, NFP only doctor. She points out that images like those produced by this technology give the lie to many of the pro-abortion statements like those that describe a first trimester baby as "a lump of tissue only potentially human".
Still, I have some reservations about the widespread use of any imaging technology. I already have patients who want US mainly to know gender. I also know how stressed out parents get when an US shows a potential problem, even those that turn out to be 'false alarms'. It seems they assume that US is a toy, not a tool.
I am also not as hopeful that seeing the baby will prevent abortion. Already, most abortion clinics do US to date pregnancies so that they can choose the surgical technique. It hasn't seemed to stop the process.
Still, I will wait and see.

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Concerns about imaging technology from Christus Medicus, misere nobis on April 6, 2004 3:35 PM

During one summer as an undergraduate (which was quite recently) I shadowed my aunt, an anesthesiologist, in New Delhi. She runs a clinic in Pahar Ganj, a New Delhi neighborhood. I recall one incident where my aunt told me she refused to identify the... Read More

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I was reading some of the testimony at the trial in New York over the Partial Birth Abortion Bans (it's at After Abortion), and was stunned to read that some women want their newly aborted baby photographed so they can remember 'em. Makes me ever skeptical that ultra-sounds are the answer to anything...

I wrote a piece on 4-D ultrasound for Lifesite recently. the FDA is, at the behest of the American Gynecological organization, going to start a crackdown on the non-medical use of the technology. American Life League protested that this is one more attempt to shut down the efforts of pro-lifers to show the humanity of the unborn. Still, I am not in total disagreement with the objection that 4D is being used as a photo op. To use such a powerful tool lightly seems irresponsible. Also, the use of ultra sound in abortion facility is common, but it is also standard practice to make sure the mother doesn't see the child. This is juged to be "too upsetting". Might make them try and leave and take their money with them. Not to worry, though, now we have a court decision that makes it possible for a caring doctor to strap a womam down and forcibly abort her child against her will, if he judges that it is necessary for her "health". Progress in choice.

I shadowed my aunt, a physician in New Delhi, one summer as an undergrad to get some non-American medical experience. I remember once she refused to tell a pregnant woman the sex of her child, and in my naïveté I didn't understand why. Then it hit me: just identifying the sex could be formal cooperation with gender-based abortion.

I'm new here so forgive me for sounding dumb, but, what's NFS?

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This page contains a single entry by alicia published on April 1, 2004 9:02 PM.

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