Senate lawmakers approve informed consent bill
By Erin Reece
Senate lawmakers voted 39-9 today in support of a bill requiring doctors to give women seeking abortions written information about the procedure and its risks.
State Senator Jim Banks of Columbia City, co-author of Senate Bill 328, said the measure now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
Currently, Indiana only requires women to be told verbally about the operation, procedure risks, gestational age of the baby and availability of an ultrasound or heartbeat monitoring services. This year's legislation would require abortion providers to print the same information - made available online by the Indiana Department of Health - and distribute it to patients who may be considering an abortion.
"For any minor surgeries doctors are required to explain procedures to patients in detail," Banks said. "Senate Bill 328 would ensure that women who seek abortions are given that same consideration and access to information."
Banks said the proposal would apply today's customary standards in the medical marketplace to provide patients with verbal and printed information about a medical procedure. The bill also expands the amount of required information to include other important criteria:
- Potential infertility and danger to a subsequent pregnancy;
- Possible risks of infection, hemorrhage or breast cancer;
- Physicians' 24-hour emergency contact information;
- Availability of follow-up care;
- Documentation showing human physical life begins at conception; and
- Materials citing sources who say a fetus can feel pain at or before 20 weeks of post-fertilization age.
Senate Bill 328 would also allow abortion doctors to have admitting privileges in the county where they perform the procedure or in an adjacent county. Doctors would also be required to notify the patient of the hospital location where she can receive follow-up care by the physician.
Senate lawmakers voted 39-9 today in support of a bill requiring doctors to give women seeking abortions written information about the procedure and its risks.
State Senator Jim Banks of Columbia City, co-author of Senate Bill 328, said the measure now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
Currently, Indiana only requires women to be told verbally about the operation, procedure risks, gestational age of the baby and availability of an ultrasound or heartbeat monitoring services. This year's legislation would require abortion providers to print the same information - made available online by the Indiana Department of Health - and distribute it to patients who may be considering an abortion.
"For any minor surgeries doctors are required to explain procedures to patients in detail," Banks said. "Senate Bill 328 would ensure that women who seek abortions are given that same consideration and access to information."
Banks said the proposal would apply today's customary standards in the medical marketplace to provide patients with verbal and printed information about a medical procedure. The bill also expands the amount of required information to include other important criteria:
- Potential infertility and danger to a subsequent pregnancy;
- Possible risks of infection, hemorrhage or breast cancer;
- Physicians' 24-hour emergency contact information;
- Availability of follow-up care;
- Documentation showing human physical life begins at conception; and
- Materials citing sources who say a fetus can feel pain at or before 20 weeks of post-fertilization age.
Senate Bill 328 would also allow abortion doctors to have admitting privileges in the county where they perform the procedure or in an adjacent county. Doctors would also be required to notify the patient of the hospital location where she can receive follow-up care by the physician.