As of September 1, 2017 State Laws and Policies

Requirements for Ultrasound

Background

Since the mid-1990s, several states have moved to make ultrasound part of abortion service provision. Some laws and policies require that a woman seeking an abortion receive information on accessing ultrasound services, while others require that a woman undergo an ultrasound before an abortion. Since routine ultrasound is not considered medically necessary as a component of first-trimester abortion, the requirements appear to be a veiled attempt to personify the fetus and dissuade a woman from obtaining an abortion. Moreover, an ultrasound can add significantly to the cost of the procedure.

Highlights

14 states require verbal counseling or written materials to include information on accessing ultrasound services.
26 states regulate the provision of ultrasound by abortion providers.
- 4 states mandate that an abortion provider perform an ultrasound on each woman seeking an abortion and requires the provider to show and describe the image.
- 11 states mandate that an abortion provider perform an ultrasound on each woman seeking an abortion, and 10 of these require the provider to offer the woman the opportunity to view the image.
- 9 states require that a woman be provided with the opportunity to view an ultrasound image if her provider performs the procedure as part of the preparation for an abortion.
- 7 states require that a woman be provided with the opportunity to view an ultrasound image.

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Topic

United States

Abortion: State Policies on Abortion

Geography

Ultrasound Requirements
STATE	INFORMATION ON ACCESSING ULTRASOUND SERVICES	PROVISION OF ULTRASOUND
		Required for Each Abortion			If Performed, the Provider Must Offer the Woman the Opportunity to View the Image	Offered by the Provider to the Woman
		Provider Must Display and Describe the Image	Provider Must Offer the Woman the Option to View the Image	Provider Not Required to Offer the Option to View		Offered by the Provider to the Woman
Alabama			X
Arizona			X^‡
Arkansas					X
Florida			X
Georgia	Verbal				X
Idaho	Verbal and written				X
Indiana	Verbal		X			X
Iowa			X			X
Kansas	Written		X
Kentucky		X
Louisiana		X^‡,ξ
Michigan	Written^*				X
Mississippi			X
Missouri	Written					X
Nebraska	Verbal and written				X^†
North Carolina	Written	▼	X
North Dakota						X^‡
Ohio			X^Э		X
Oklahoma	Verbal and written	▼		X
South Carolina	Written				X
South Dakota						X
Texas	Written	X^‡,ξ
Utah	Verbal				X^Ω	X
Virginia	Written		X^‡,ξ
West Virginia					X
Wisconsin	Verbal and written	X^ξ
Wyoming						X
TOTAL	14	4	10	1	9	7
▼ Enforcement permanently enjoined by court order; policy not in effect. * Included in written counseling materials although not specifically mandated by state law. Ω The woman will also be offered the option to hear a detailed description of the image. † If an ultrasound is requested by the woman, the provider will also display the image so that the woman can view it. ‡ An ultrasound must take place at least 24 hours in advance of the abortion; in Texas and Virginia some women must obtain the ultrasound at least 24 hours in advance. ξ The law allows the woman look away from the image and in Louisiana, Texas and Virginia the woman may decline to listen to the description under certain circumstances. In Virginia and Wisconsin a woman who has been sexually assaulted is not required to undergo the ultrasound. Э The provider must test for the fetal heartbeat which requires an ultrasound if the woman is in the first trimester of pregnancy which is when most abortions are provided.

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Requirements for Ultrasound

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