The Utah State Senate decided to play doctor Monday—passing a bill which would mandate that anesthesia be administered to fetuses during abortions any time after 20 weeks of gestation. Naturally, this has no basis in actual science and isn't supported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
So let's get down to the real reason for SB234 from its Republican senate sponsor, Curt Bramble. Lee Davidson reports:
"If we could prohibit all abortions except in the rarest of circumstances, if we could overturn Roe v. Wade, I would be a proud sponsor of that bill," Bramble said.
Right. Short of that, Bramble wants to deprive women of as many health care options as possible. Utah state law already requires abortion providers to inform patients about whether the fetus might experience pain, offer anesthesia, and discuss the risks associated with it.
The Senate adopted one amendment to the bill, making clear that the anesthesia is not mandated in cases where it could endanger the health of the mother — and does not affect abortions in cases where the fetus is not viable.
Senate Democratic leader Gene Davis, D-Salt Lake City, said he received a letter from a woman who went through 12 hours of labor to abort a nonviable fetus at 20 weeks, but was comforted that she could hold the baby after birth for 45 minutes before it died. Davis contended the bill would not allow that — and anesthesia would kill the baby before birth.
That what happens when lawmakers tell doctors what to do.