Temporary Injunction Delays Oklahoma Ultrasound Law
A temporary injunction, issued October 29, has prevented Oklahoma ultrasound legislation from taking effect this month. In April, the Oklahoma legislature passed the country’s most restrictive ultrasound law, which requires women to undergo an ultrasound one hour prior to obtaining abortion care and listen to an explanation from the medical professional performing the ultrasound while the image is displayed where she can see it.
The injunction was filed by Nova Health Systems, the parent group of NAF member Reproductive Services of Tulsa, on grounds that the law violates a woman’s right to privacy by forcing her to listen to unwelcome, government dictated language in a private setting. Ultrasound legislation is manipulative to women and violates the doctor-patient relationship.
This year, 18 states introduced ultrasound legislation with bills passing in one or both chambers in Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Virginia.