Judge Limits NC's Woman's Right to Know Law

Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles issued a ruling preventing the "Right to View" provision of North Carolina's "Woman's Right to Know" law from taking effect.  The remaining provisions of the law took effect Wednesday.  The law enacted by a bi-partisan override of Governor Perdue's July veto, requires that mothers seeking abortion be given information about the abortion and that a real-time ultrasound image of her unborn child be displayed so that she may view the image before the abortion can be performed.  “While we are happy that most of the provisions of the Woman's Right to Know law will go into effect tomorrow, it is extremely regrettable that mothers will be unable to see real-time images of their unborn children kicking and moving inside the womb and hear their children's heartbeat," said Barbara Holt, president of North Carolina Right to Life.  The judge allowed the informed consent part of the law that a booklet containing scientifically accurate information about risks, alternatives and information on the development of the unborn child, compiled by the Department of Health and Human Services, be offered to the mother at least 24 hours prior to an abortion so that she might have the opportunity to read and understand the information.  "We are confident that the Court, upon further review, will ultimately allow the ultrasound provision to take effect giving North Carolina mothers the opportunity to witness their living unborn children in the womb," Mrs. Holt added.