Pregnancy and sonograms

[Pacifist Patriot]

I've had to correct many people recently, including progressives, so I'd like to take the opportunity to clarify an important point. The laws mandating sonograms prior to obtaining an abortion are forcing women to experience a transvaginal ultrasound. Please do not evoke the image of the nice round belly being smeared with gel and an ultrasound wand gliding smoothly over the woman's skin. At the early stage of pregnancy, the stage at which a woman seeking an abortion would terminate the pregnancy, gel is applied to a wand that is inserted into the woman's vagina.

I experienced transvaginal ultrasounds on quite a few occasions when pursuing fertility procedures to conceive my son. It is an uncomfortable procedure when you are choosing to have it done for medical reasons. It could be traumatizing if unwarranted and unwelcome.

These mandates are nothing short of legal rape as far as I am concerned.

When you discuss the issue please consider using the phrase "transvaginal ultrasound" rather than just calling it a sonogram. The language we use can make a difference.

[sufrommich]

1. Thank you for that. I had no idea. nt

[seabeyond]

2. good point. and true enough. thanks. nt

[AngryAmish]

3. Right on that.

[BadgerKid]

4. Had no idea.

I assumed the sonogram was still done abdominally.

[AngryOldDem]

7. Not early on.

They use TVs in the first few weeks mainly to detect heartbeat, which cannot be heard in most cases until the middle of the first trimester.

[Raven]

5. You are so right! I went for what I thought was going to be a simple

"belly rub" and almost leaped off the table when the technician...technician, mind you, walked in with that "wand." He administrated the transvaginal ultrasound and it was extremely painful. I would not be surprised if Rick Perry and his macho friends think that this procedure will be "fun" for women.

[AngryOldDem]

6. They sure as hell traumatized me.

I had two more than 10 years ago -- once right before a miscarriage and another early on in another difficult pregnancy. After the second one, I nearly passed out. I cannot hear the words "transvaginal ultrasound" without damn near having a panic attack -- I literally get sick on my stomach when I think of it.

Your description of it as being "legal rape" is spot on, especially under circumstances mandated by law.

It is sometimes a necessary medical procedure, but like with so many such procedures, there is a fine line between "medically necessary" and "torture." And I'm not overstating it.

K&R because people should know the truth.

[Pacifist Patriot]

8. I'm sitting here with my foot elevated because I had surgery last week.

When I awoke in recovery it was the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life. Without exception. If it hadn't been medically necessary and I had been forced to have the procedure done, no one would blink at calling it torture. You make an excellent point!

[Bunny]

9. I didn't know that.

They really do want to get all up in your vagina, don't they?

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. You are so right. It's very uncomfortable! It was easier to deal with during the

pregnancies than the miscarriages. I can't imagine having to deal with it during an unwanted pregnancy.

[Ilsa]

11. Thank you for the reminder.

It is important for people to know what is really happening here.

Of course, the rude comeback will be that an abortion will subject the woman to the same physical intrusion. But we have to remind them that it is about whether a person has a choice over what medical procedures are done to them. Then remind them, if the government can force you to have one medical procedure, then they can force you to have others, including an abortion. It's a very slippery slope.

[Ilsa]

12. What I didn't include in my post above is that I've had the same

Procedure, the transvaginal ultrasound. It's emotionally very unsettling. It isn't the same as having a pap smear. Having a penis-shaped probe shoved even partially into my vagina reminded me of the rape I had experienced only eight years before.

[Ship of Fools]

13. Same here, same thing. Flashback city! Thanks ...

[uppityperson]

14. Check out this BBC article/photo. Am off to write them about the photo.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14725371

[seabeyond]

16. 2 points in that photo

first, not proper procedure. but as big, is the woman is so far along, just a picture of a preg woman using a sonogram, but the article is on abortion. people will be looking saying, she is that far along, aborting. so a very poor picture for the article.

[uppityperson]

17. Yes, I covered them both in my thing I wrote BBC. Not early abortion, wrong kind of sonogram

very poor picture.

[Pacifist Patriot]

18. Thanks! I contacted them as well.

[w8liftinglady]

15. That is an excellent point. I will remember this..

[glowing]

19. I experienced one when they were checking for cysts. Wow, is it

extremely invasive. The wand looks like a Dildo.. And the Dr. has to move it around inside of you. If you had become pregnant due to rape, this would def. be an incredibly invasive technique to use on an already traumatized woman or you girl. It was more than a bit shocking than even a pap smear. That cold thing normally has a bit of a pinch to it and its rather fast. The wand can be more interesting considering the Dr. must move it around in order to see the picture that they need to. I had no idea that there was even a device like this. I was 23 when I had to go get a sonogram. I honestly thought they were going to do the belly one... I had no idea that they were going to stick this thing up there, etc. My gynecologist didn't explain to me that they would might use something like this on me.. So imagine my surprise when the device was produced!

Anyway, you are correct, most wouldn't understand that this is what the Drs would be using at an early stage in a pregnancy. In fact, I didn't even think about it. Of course, an abortion procedure is also more than a bit evasive and there is some pain associated with the procedure. The reality is, though, that a Dr. should decide what the Dr. needs for any medical procedure. If its an unnecessary cost, why legislate the requirement of extra medical procedures. Normally, most Drs and insurance co's want the least costliest with any medical treatment. Although, many insurance co's don't always cover an abortion procedure. They haven't even wanted to provide birth control coverage at a minimal cost. They insist on making women's Drs more expensive as a co-pay even though, a gynecologist is a Dr that a woman should see every year. It should be a regular lower cost co-pay... Its not like a pediatrician (Dr specializing with children's medicine) is any different than a Dr for women... just that man seem to still make many rules that cover women without a real clue or idea as to what it is to be a woman or women's needs in general.. Another keep the "weaker" sex basically weaker through legislation.

[sybylla]

21. Me too. Won't do that again.

I agree this is an awful requirement not only for the misogyny in passing this law but the invasive physical abuse that is required to conduct the procedure.

It's time to end the Republican War on Women.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

20. yes. good point. k&r