In recent months, issues surrounding abortion and birth control have fluctuated in the United States between what should be allowed in relation to the reproductive rights of women.

For many women, the question of deciding to have an abortion or not is a tough choice to make. However, in the last couple of weeks, Virginia debated passing a law that could have further hardened this decision.

The purpose of this anti-abortion law was to force abortion-seeking women to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound during their first trimester.

Due to the fact that a heartbeat cannot be gained through an abdominal ultrasound during this period, a vaginal probe would be used instead.

During this type of procedure, the woman is inserted with a probe — also referred to as a wand — which sends off sound waves in order to detect body structures and creates an image of the fetus.

According to the proposed Virginia law, women would not be required to see the photo if they chose not to.

Forced transvaginal procedures are also not covered by insurance — it is not considered essential in a medical sense — causing woman to have to pay for the cost of the process.

While the insertion of a probing law was revoked from the Virginia bill, other states have mandated this procedure. However, the issue still remains of women being required to obtain an ultrasound before seeking an abortion.

It is a concern because these decisions are being based off 19th century principles, and issues such as these highlight the complete lack of women’s reproductive rights, even in today’s society.

Women have the right to seek or not seek an abortion based on their own reasoning. However, they should not be forced to undergo procedures against their will in order to obtain one.

Ultimately, it becomes a matter of imposing religion.

While it is important for some individuals to maintain their own traditional morals, these values should not be translated into a law.

This causes women, as well as other groups, to be forced to accept religious views that are different from their own.

By enacting this law, the beliefs of other individuals are being forced on these women, which is against the First Amendment.

According to the Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, states have no control over what a woman and her doctor decide in the case of an abortion.

With laws such as the Virginia proposal, however, there is a clear violation of a woman’s right to choose.

The choice of having an abortion is already a difficult one for some women to make, especially in regard to rape or incest.

The fact that a woman could possibly undergo a probing exam would only add to the physical and mental turmoil of obtaining an abortion.

This law is merely a step further to making abortions illegal, which would still not prevent them entirely.

If anything, it will make them more dangerous, with women seeking alternative, back alley operations to abort a fetus.

While probing has been regarded as a wake-up call or a guilt trip for women seeking abortions, there are better ways to educate.

Instead of throwing money into operations that go against the will of individuals, other forms of education need to be introduced to reduce unwanted pregnancies. This can include an increase of sexual education to create knowledge and understanding of responsible sex.

Another form would be to make contraceptives more easily available to Americans, including birth control.

However, even birth control has been under the reign of fire in recent months, especially in relation to the Republican primaries and presidential candidate, Rick Santorum.

In a Cincinnati radio interview with Santorum, the candidate said he did not believe birth control should be covered by health insurance companies.

In other interviews, he has proceeded to maintain that contraceptives are harmful to women, and he discourages sex outside of marriage.

It would appear Santorum is completely ignorant of the fact that not only is this the 21st century, but women and men have rights to their own reproduction.

Santorum also claimed it is unethical to impose individual values on other people through the government.

Sounds to me like there is a double standard between the issue of allowing free birth control and evoking new abortion measures based on religious beliefs.

The purpose of contraceptives is not solely to use it as a means of preventing pregnancy. Women use birth control for a variety of other means, such as regulating menstrual cycles.

In relation to abortion, there are also a variety of reasons women seek an operation.

In the end, it all comes down to personal beliefs and decisions, regardless of what others think.

It is the choice of women to make these decisions on their own, without criticism from society.

By placing even further limits on abortion and contraceptives, these individuals are creating more harm than good in restricting the rights and freedoms of women.

By CLAIRE MUNN

Senior Editor

clamunn@umail.iu.edu