Abortion

Center for Reproductive Rights Asks For Ultrasound Rehearing

The group requests that the entire 5th Circuit Court of Appeals hear the case.

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The Center for Reproductive Rights is taking another go at trying to fight the new Texas law requiring all women to undergo an ultrasound prior to obtaining an abortion, and have their doctor explain in detail what the image shows and play the heartbeat of the fetus or embryo if able.

Via NBC Dallas/Fort Worth:

The Center for Reproductive Rights is asking for a rehearing of its argument that a law requiring a sonogram before an abortion is unconstitutional.

The three-judge panel ruled that the law is constitutional and said a lower court was wrong to stop Texas from enforcing it.

The center is asking for a rehearing by the entire appeals court to reconsider the earlier decision, which they say is wrong.

The law is already being enforced in the state, where doctors argue that the new restrictions do nothing to actually help women, merely hinder their ability to get an abortion.

While [Dr. Lester Minto] complies with the sonogram law and fills out the paperwork, he said there is no medical justification for the law other than to “make the procedure more expensive and difficult to obtain” for the impoverished women who see him for services.

“There is not one thing medically that you can say by waiting 24 hours, the patient is safer,” Minto said. “The purpose is to deny women access to these services. The purpose is not to improve their outcome or assure their safety.”

The challenge is expected to eventually end up in front of the Supreme Court.