Indiana Senate Alters Abortion Bill

The Indiana Senate has dropped a proposed requirement that doctors must try to perform two ultrasound exams on women who receive drugs to induce abortions.

Senators in a unanimous voice vote Monday changed a bill on abortion pill regulations. It now requires a doctor to conduct appropriate testing during a follow-up appointment about two weeks after prescribing the drugs. The bill still requires doctors to perform an ultrasound exam on the woman before providing the drugs.

Republican Sen. Ron Alting of Lafayette says he offered the change to give doctors the option to use blood or urine tests during follow up exams if they believed those were more appropriate.

Opponents have attacked the ultrasound provisions as essentially requiring a transvaginal procedure, although the bill doesn't specify that.