Plenty of news is being made about Scientology nut Tom Cruise buying an ultrasound machine, using it himself on Katie Holmes and her later giving birth to a healthy baby girl. The state of California is now trying to ban anyone it has not licensed from being sold an ultrasound machine.

Blog Fresh Tasty Ideas points out that this is oxymoronic. Given lawmakers are claiming they don’t want a baby in the womb to be unintentionally damaged, while they do all they can to allow people to kill their babies in the womb.

I am surprised that more people who are pro-life have not spoken up about this legislation. Given ultrasounds have been one of the greatest tools in the modern pro-life movement.

Many pro-lifers are hoping that government will provide more money for ultrasound equipment, but if this equipment is allowed to be freely sold its cost will lower over time. Given if they are more freely marketed, the manufacturers will have the incentive to make them better and cheaper. If ultrasound equipment sales are more regulated by government, then the manufacturer will keep the price high, knowing they will sell less. Any regulation on the sale of ultrasound equipment will not hurt the Hollywood elite. Given they have the means to go literally anywhere to get what they want. It will hurt those who are already on tight budgets and are already accused of using unlicensed personnel.

Here is what the abortion advocates have to say about pregnancy crisis centers, that have been using ultrasounds to save babies.

What the proposed legislation in California might more likely end up doing is keeping a pregnancy crisis center from helping to save lives. I have never heard of a pregnancy crisis center giving someone so many ultrasounds that it hurt or killed the baby. But we know the pro-abortion groups that slam pregnancy crisis centers are killing thousands of babies daily. It is ironic that they would want a safe ultrasound, when the abortions they support are proven killers.

Make no mistake, if this passes in CA the pro-abortion crowd will leverage it to try and pass similar legislation everywhere. In the process they may prevent some pregnancy crisis centers from helping mothers to see their child.

While the keepsake ultrasounds are not approved by the medical community, there is no proof it has killed a baby. And while efforts are being made to stop unlicensed ultrasound use to keep a baby from harm, a mother can still “choose” to kill her baby via abortion, or get drunk one day which might damage the baby. The lobby against mass ultrasound use is trying to play on extreme cases of a mother possibly using it daily to see their baby or possibly mishandling the equipment, when the high costs has prevented that from happening. If the equipment is continually mass marketed it will become cheaper and safer. It will also become easier to use. Once upon a time people had to see a doctor to get a pregnancy test. Now the test has become so cheap and safe that anyone can do it and do it safely on a daily basis.

Regarding ultrasound equipment, the market should be allowed to work freely without government restriction. Those restrictions will not hurt Tom Cruise one bit. But it will hurt centers designed to save lives. Pro lifers must step up now and be vocal against restrictions in ultrasound sales.

update 5/8/2006 11:33PM Fire & Hammer has a link to a ministry helping pregnancy crisis centers purchase ultrasound machines. They accept donations if you are willing to help in their ministry.