Support for Health Commissioner

Health Waikato staff will continue to offer women who plan to have an abortion the opportunity to view their ultrasound scan beforehand.

Chief operating officer Jan Adams today said any woman having an ultrasound had the right to see her foetus.

That included women considering an abortion.

Staff would continue to make it clear to those women considering abortion that it was their right to see their ultrasound scan.

This follows advice from Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson in response to a complaint from Right to Life New Zealand secretary Ken Orr.

“We support the commissioner who says it’s the right of a woman considering abortion to view her scan. It’s a woman’s choice whether she looks or not. If the woman declines, we respect her decision,” said Mrs Adams.

Date: 6 May 2009

Contact:

Mary Anne Gill
Media and Communications Director
Waikato District Health Board
Ph: 07 834 3684
Fax: 07 834 3673
Mobile: 021 705 213
www.waikatodhb.govt.nz

Please direct any queries for the Commissioner to:
Ta’a Punivalu, Communications Advisor: 09 373 1071, 0274 326 709
PO Box 1791, Auckland. Ph: 09 3731060 or 0800 11 22 33 Fax 09 3731061