Background: House Bill 64 would require any person getting a medication abortion to be shown an ultrasound image of the fetus no less than 48 hours before the procedure.
Our position: The ACLU of Wyoming opposes House bill 64. Deeply private and personal decisions about abortion should not be made by politicians but be made by pregnant people in consultation with their doctors – who should be able to treat their patients according to their best medical judgement. Everyone deserves the right to control their own bodies and to make their own decisions about their lives and futures, free from punishment, judgment, or political interference.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, “most abortion care globally is provided without ultrasound examination.” Additionally, requiring a 48-hour waiting period between when a person would have an ultrasound and when they can proceed with the abortion is medically unnecessary. Because medication abortion is a time-sensitive process, it could force a patient into having a procedural abortion instead. It also creates an additional burden for people in rural areas who already must travel to seek health care.
