Do you prefer medical advice from a doctor or a legislator? On Thursday, January 26, 2006, the House Public Policy and Veterans Affairs committee passed (8-3) House Bill 1172.  HB 1172, as it now stands, would amend Indiana’s informed consent to abortion law to require a doctor to inform every pregnant woman in writing: life begins at conception the fetus may feel pain anesthetics are available to fetuses of at least 20 weeks’ gestational age.  An amendment to allow a health professional to offer her/his own medical judgment of these "facts" was voted down. Would you prefer your medical advice from a doctor or a legislator? Committee members who voted for this bill say they did so to reduce the number of abortions in Indiana.  In reality, the new requirements place ideology over science, and will not stop a single abortion. Tell your legislator to stop harassment of abortion patients.  Tell your legislator that the only way to reduce the abortion rate is to increase access to birth control and comprehensive sex education. Sample Letter for Campaign Subject: Dear [ Decision Maker ] , I, your constituent, ask you to vote against HB 1172. We all share the goal of reducing the abortion rate in Indiana. But this goal can only be acheived by reducing unintended pregnancies. This goal is best achieved through comprehensive sex education, access to contraceptives, and delayed sexual activity. HB 1172 places politics over science. Despite the lack of expert testimony , this measure was advanced as if it were medical fact. Quite the contrary! According to the state department of health, roughly 95% of abortions in Indiana happen in the first trimester (before 14 weeks' gestational age), and the latest medical research (Journal of the American Medical Association, 2005) shows that the earliest the fetus might feel pain is 29-30 weeks' gestational age. There is further no evidence of abortion in Indiana at 20 weeks or later, when the bill suggests that anesthesia is available to the fetus. According to anesthesiologists, there is no medical protocol for providing fetal anesthesia. Whether or not "life begins at conception" is a personal/religious conviction. It is not for the legislature to dictate. For the General Assembly to compel doctors to provide false medical information is an embarrassment to our state. To harrass women with "junk science" is appalling. Despite efforts to reach a compromise that would have provided appropriate medical information to patients, 8 committee members saw fit to place politics over women's health and safety. I urge you to vote with science! Vote "no" on HB 1172! Sincerely,

Campaign Launched: January 26, 2006

Background Information

HB 1172 would amend Indiana’s informed consent to abortion law to require a doctor to inform a pregnant woman in writing:

• life begins at conception
• the fetus may feel pain
• anesthetics are available to fetuses of at least 20 weeks’ gestational age.

It’s odd that a legislator would want to inform a woman seeking abortion in the first trimester that a fetus could feel pain, if anesthetic is unavailable to the fetus until it is 20 weeks’ gestational age--especially since abortions later than 20 weeks gestation are not performed in Indiana. 

It’s ever more odd considering that roughly 95% of abortions in Indiana happen in the first trimester (before 14 weeks’ gestational age), and the latest medical research (Journal of the American Medical Association, 2005) shows that the earliest the fetus might feel pain is 29-30 weeks’ gestational age. 

Legislators, with few exceptions, are not doctors; yet they heard and passed this bill without hearing any medical or scientific testimony.

This legislation seeks to require doctors to practice politics, not medicine. Planned Parenthood Advocates opposes government mandates that require medical professionals to deceive their patients.