Christian Medical Association Asks Supreme Court to Review and Uphold Indiana's Ultrasound Requirement for Abortion

Washington, DC—March 6, 2019--The Christian Medical Association (CMA, www.cmda.org), the nation's largest faith-based medical association, today joined a brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The brief defends Indiana's statutory requirement that women receive the benefit of ultrasound information when considering an abortion procedure.

• CMA CEO Dr. David Stevens said, "As our brief explains, offering ultrasound imaging provides an opportunity for truthful and essential medical information about a woman’s pregnancy. We, physicians, hold a responsibility to provide our patients with information relevant to the procedures they are considering, and abortion requires the woman's informed consent. What better way to be informed about the biological reality of her unborn child than to see an actual image of that child?"
• CMA Executive Vice President Dr. Mike Chupp added, "Offering ultrasound provides a pregnant woman the opportunity to have vital information that is relevant and necessary to her decision on whether or not to undergo an abortion procedure. Providing the opportunity for this information is required for her informed consent."
• CMA Vice President for Government Relations Jonathan Imbody said, "The grand jury report [p. 12] in the Kermit Gosnell born-alive infant murder case in Pennsylvania shows what happens when politics leave abortion clinics virtually unregulated by states. Polling shows that Americans on both sides of the life issue want and expect abortion clinics to be regulated. With the requirement for offering ultrasound information, Indiana is following its responsibility to apply reasonable medical standards for abortion, just like the state does for any other medical procedure."

Americans United for Life (AUL) filed today's Petition for Writ of Certiorari amici curiae brief with the Court in the case of Kristina Box, Commissioner, Indiana Dept. of Health, et. al. v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, Inc., et. al, on behalf of the Christian Medical Association and other medical and pregnancy care organizations. AUL's Steven H. Aden (202) 741-4917, Steven.Aden@aul.org served as attorney of record.