Women who are considering abortion need accurate information in order to make fully informed decisions. This decision is likely the most important one they’ll ever make, and it is essential that they take the time to fully weigh the impact of such a decision—upon their lives and the lives the lives of their preborn babies.

The Power of an Informed Decision
Ultrasound is a vital tool for a woman’s health and decision-making process, and is used to provide her with a diagnosis of if she is even truly pregnant, and if so, if that pregnancy is viable. As well, diagnosis of potential health-endangering conditions (such as ectopic pregnancies or occurring miscarriages) provide opportunities for immediate medical intervention.

Women who undergo ultrasound examinations are more likely to seek early prenatal care, and the support they receive through pro-life providers often makes the crucial difference in their decision to carry their babies. In fact, Focus on the Family has gathered statistical research regarding women served by its Option Ultrasound™ Program on the benefit of ultrasound, and it clearly demonstrates that women at-risk for abortion who receive counseling and view an ultrasound of their baby are much more likely to choose life than women who receive counseling alone. ¹

Based on the reports received from pregnancy medical clinics that have received grants, we estimate that tens of thousands of women at-risk for abortion, who have received this combination of counseling and ultrasound services, have changed their minds and stated their intention to carry their babies to term! ²

What Do Women Deserve to Know?
Some seem to think that a woman simply can't deal with, or shouldn't be bothered with, the biological facts of her pregnancy. Didn't that demeaning idea go out with Scarlett O'Hara? The voices and choices of these tens of thousand of women should convince anyone who is willing to set aside their political bias that to withhold this information from women does them a grave disservice, in essence making the choice for them as to what they deserve and don't deserve to know.

In contrast, it is a sign of Option Ultrasound's respect for women that a pregnancy medical clinic allows her to decide if she would like to view an ultrasound so that she can evaluate this information in light of her own values and priorities as she makes a pregnancy decision — isn’t that something we can all agree on?

Standards of Excellence in the Use of Ultrasound
In the midst of inaccurate (and perhaps uninformed) charges that have been bantered about, it’s important to note that all Pregnancy Medical Clinics in the Option Ultrasound Program provide limited obstetrical ultrasound only as medically indicated. Clinics are licensed to operate under the supervision of a physician, using only trained sonographers. Focus on the Family does not endorse the use of ultrasound outside of a medical clinic setting and does not endorse the use of ultrasound for non-medical reasons. Patient referrals are made to physicians for follow-up diagnosis and care as needed.

Focus on the Family remains committed to reaching those most at-risk for abortion with excellent medical services and compassionate support and counseling, knowing that each human life — both mother and child — is made in the image of a loving God.

¹ Life to Date OUP Report, July 31, 2008
² Ibid