NPR Examines Controversial Okla. Abortion Law Facing Court Challenges

NPR's "All Things Considered" on Thursday examined the debate over an Oklahoma law that requires a woman seeking an abortion to answer dozens of questions on topics relating to her job, education, relationship with her partner and why she is opting for an abortion. The law calls for the survey answers to be posted on a state Web site without the women's names.

Opponents of the law, which is being challenged in court by the Center for Reproductive Rights, call it an invasion of privacy that is intimidating to women and unrelated to improving public health. They also fear that posting the answers online will allow people to identify specific women based on the information provided on the surveys, especially in small, rural communities. Linda Meek, executive administrator of Reproductive Services in Tulsa, Okla., said, "If they want to reduce the number of abortions, then they need to concentrate on educating women about preventing unwanted pregnancies, educating them about emergency contraception, birth control -- and making birth control more accessible."

The law's supporters say that the information will help generate greater understanding of why women choose abortion. State Sen. Todd Lamb (R), the principal author of the law and a candidate for lieutenant governor, said, "How can we counsel, how can we treat, how can we offer counseling to mothers to be that are choosing abortion, if we don't have hard-core facts?" (Lohr, "All Things Considered," NPR, 12/17).


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