Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (MO-04) introduced the Woman’s Right to Know Act today to protect the health of pregnant women and unborn children by providing adequate medical information for informed consent before abortions. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has also introduced the Senate version of this legislation.

“States throughout America have begun enacting laws to ensure that women considering abortion procedures have the full breadth of information and knowledge of the consequences surrounding an abortion procedure. In any medical decision, knowledge is power – and this one carries a multitude of mental and physical health risks for women,” Hartzler said. “I thank Senator Marsha Blackburn for introducing the Senate version of this bill and am eager to work with my colleagues to ensure this pro-woman legislation is passed to expand these safeguards for expecting mothers.”

“For far too long, organizations like Planned Parenthood have targeted vulnerable women and pressured them to make life and death medical decisions without informed consent,” Blackburn said. “The Woman’s Right to Know Act protects the sanctity of life for women and children across the nation by establishing long-overdue standards for the predatory abortion industry.”

The Woman’s Right to Know Act sets reasonable medical requirements for physicians to meet in order to protect both the life of the mother and the child before an abortion can be performed:

Abortion providers must explain all the medical risks associated with an abortion procedure

Abortion providers must explain the probable gestational age and development features of the unborn child at the time the abortion is to be performed; and

Abortion providers must present this information at least 24 hours in advance of an abortion procedure.