It is not standard practice for carrying a baby to term, but is it standard practice before peforming an early term abortion procedure? I kind of think that if you want an abortion you kind of have to do whatever the doctor beleives is the best course in order to provide a safe and successful procedure. If a surgical abortion is the correct course, you kind of have no choice in the matter unless you want to comprimise your safety, although I am not sure a doctor would assist in that matter.
I don't think I'm revealing too much to confess that I have not had an abortion. So I don't know whether it is SOP or not. If it is, I think you're right. The implication I've heard, however, is that legislators are forcing the ultrasound as an additional unnecessary step to try and convince women not to have abortions. If that implication is wrong and the "transvag," as I believe someone called it, is considered a necessary step to complete the procedure, then it's no more rape than any other invasive procedure. By consenting to the abortion, you'd be consenting to whatever medically
necessary procedures are involved.