The Louisiana Department of Health today has published online a list of ultrasound providers who will provide free ultrasounds to women seeking abortions as outlined in Act 888 of the 2010 Legislature.
Act 888, originally Senate Bill 528 sponsored by Sen. Sharon Weston-Broome and part of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s legislative package, requires an ultrasound of the unborn child to be done prior to an abortion. It further requires that the patient be offered the opportunity to see the ultrasound images, an explanation of what the ultrasound is depicting and a print of the ultrasound image.
The law also requires a list of facilities offering obstetric ultrasounds for free be made available to a woman prior to her receiving an abortion. LDH has compiled that list and it is available online at dhh.louisiana.gov beginning today. Women will be notified of where the list is available through the abortion provider and packets of information they receive prior to an abortion.
With the publishing of the list today, abortion providers are expected to immediately comply with the ultrasound requirements as outlined in Act 888.
The Louisiana Department of Health strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state citizens. To learn more about LDH, visit http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov.
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