This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A bill signed into law by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert the other day — the one requiring the use of anesthesia in most abortions when the fetus is more than 20 weeks along — has drawn another flood of face-palm commentary from print and online pundits.

The objections raised are that this is just a woman-punishing anti-choice bill lightly disguised as a health measure, passed by accountants and real estate salesmen practicing medicine without a license. Or without the least concern for science or women's health.

— The danger of Utah's abortion law — Leah Torres | For CNN

"... I have watched a baby die during labor because my informed and autonomous patient chose not to give consent for an emergency cesarean section. Neither my medical opinion nor expertise can overrule my patient's autonomy — at least, not if I am providing ethical medical care. Yet Utah Gov. Gary Herbert just decided to force me to perform a medical procedure that is not even standard medical practice — giving a fetus anesthesia during an abortion over 20 weeks in gestation. If I don't, I have broken the law. ..."

— Why Utah's Nonsensical New Abortion Bill Is So Bad For Women — Catherine Pearson | Huffington Post

" ... Trying to make sense of how, exactly, this will all play out for women and abortion care providers is pretty much impossible at this point, precisely because the requirement has no roots in credible science. What does it mean that a woman must receive anesthesia or analgesia? How much? What kind? Who the hell knows. ..."

— Here's why doctors are dumbfounded by Utah's new anti-abortion law — Emily Crockett | Vox

" ... The problem? Thorough reviews of medical evidence reject the idea that fetuses can actually feel pain at 20 weeks. They don't fully develop the proper neurological structures to feel pain until later, around 29 to 30 weeks in the third trimester.

"The bigger problem? There's really no such thing as 'fetal anesthesia' in standard medical practice. And the law doesn't specify how doctors are supposed to make it happen. ..."

— Utah's Pseudoscientific Anti-Abortion Law Could Actually Kill Women — Samantha Allen | The Daily Beast)

" ... A section of SB 234 states that 'substantial medical evidence from studies concludes that an unborn child who is at least 20 weeks gestational age may be capable of experiencing pain during an abortion procedure.'

"In the words of Wikipedia: citation needed. ..."

— New Utah Law Mandates Anesthesia in Certain Abortions, Defying Medical Ethics — Christina Cauterucci | Slate)

" ... Legislating doctors' medical decisions is a reckless, dangerous game that puts women's lives at risk. Anesthetic drugs increase the likelihood of complications and negative health outcomes of a very safe procedure; subjecting women to anesthesia against their wishes or their doctors' recommendations is cruel. "You're now mandating [women] take that risk, based on inconclusive and biased evidence. You don't understand what you're legislating," Utah doctor Sean Esplin testified on the bill earlier this month ..."

— New 'Pro-Life' Law Could Literally Kill Women Who Attempt To Obtain An Abortion — Ian Millhiser | Think Progress

"A new Utah law will subject women to medically unnecessary risk in order to ward off a problem that almost certainly does not exist. It makes a significant new incursion on what remains of Roe v. Wade — at a time when the Supreme Court is signaling that anti-abortion state lawmakers have moved too far. And it will likely either drive up the cost of abortions or cause many clinics to stop performing certain kinds of abortion because they will need to recruit new specialist physicians in order to continue serving all women. ..."

— Let's Discuss Utah's Garbage New Abortion Law — Megan Burbank | The Portland Mercury

" ... General anesthesia adds risk to any surgery, and requiring women to go under for an abortion is kind of like mandating general anesthesia for colonoscopies (which, BTW, have a higher rate of complication than abortion). In other words, tacking medically unnecessary general anesthesia onto abortion actually makes a low-risk procedure less safe. What an an odd, pointless thing to require, unless, lol, you hate women? ..."

— Utah abortion providers puzzled by how to obey law fixing an imaginary problem — Molly Redden | The Guardian).

" ... The restriction, which will apply after the fetus reaches 20 weeks, is the first of its kind. And it has caused a familiar uproar about unnecessary meddling by lawmakers in a procedure they barely understand. ..."

For Utah politicians, who are often heard to say that they are all about good management and economic growth, that was a really bad round of publicity. Our leaders have to remember, when they pull stupid stunts like this, the whole world is watching.