Imagine seeing life on an ultrasound for the first time—a tiny heartbeat flickering, the delicate outline of a hand waving hello. Today, this is a routine moment for most expectant mothers. But less than a century ago, this life-changing technology didn’t exist.
The invention of the ultrasound arrived in the 1950s, a pivotal moment in history, as the life-affirming movement began taking shape. It offered undeniable proof of what many knew to be true: life begins at conception. With scientific advancements comes the responsibility to confront the truth, leaving less room for ignorance in the abortion debate.
Before the Ultrasound
Before the invention of the ultrasound, doctors relied on less precise methods to monitor pregnancy and determine fetal viability. The most common practice to determine if an abortion was allowed was observing “quickening,” the moment a mother first felt fetal movement, which typically occurs around 16–20 weeks (or 4 months) of pregnancy. This “quickening” was considered the earliest indication of life but left much unknown. Physicians also used physical exams and tools like stethoscopes to detect a baby’s heartbeat later in pregnancy. Still, without the ability to see inside the womb, the early stages of fetal development were a mystery, leaving room for misconceptions about the preborn. The same can’t be said today.
The Invention of the Ultrasound
In the 1950s, Ian Donald, often called the “father of obstetric ultrasound,” revolutionized prenatal care. As the Regius Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Glasgow, Donald partnered with John MacVicar, an obstetrician, and Tom Brown, an industrial engineer, to develop early ultrasound prototypes. Over nearly a decade of collaboration, their work culminated in creating the Diasonograph in 1963. The Diasonograph was the world’s first commercial ultrasound scanner. This groundbreaking invention gave the world a window into the womb for the first time, providing undeniable clarity about early fetal development.
For the women and midwives who experienced these early scans in Glasgow hospitals between 1963 and 1968, the impact was profound, and the response was very similar to what we hear from inside our mobile medical clinics today! Pat Anusas, a midwife at the time, recalled witnessing one of the first ultrasounds: “I still to this day can’t believe what I saw … didn’t know if it was going to work or not—but it did work. And both the mother and I were so excited—she couldn’t believe she could see her baby.”
How the Ultrasound Changed Lives
The invention of the ultrasound didn’t just revolutionize medicine—it also transformed the narrative around life in the womb. Ian Donald held a faith-based opposition to abortion and used his invention to advocate for life. According to Deborah Nicholson, a historian of medical advancements, Donald “often performed ultrasound scans on women seeking terminations of pregnancy.” Donald showed women images of their babies, carefully explaining the details of the ultrasound or showing them the beauty of the life growing inside them. Sound familiar? This is not unlike what we do at Save the Storks by offering free ultrasounds in our mobile medical clinics.
Ultrasounds in our Mobile Medical Clinics
Today, we’re overjoyed to continue in Donald’s legacy and to see how the ultrasound, in many ways, is a divine invention. It gives women and the world a window into the womb and a vision of the value of every tiny life. Did you know three out of four women 1who see their baby on an ultrasound on a Stork Bus choose life?
Be a part of the legacy! Donate today so more women can get the chance to see an ultrasound of their baby before making a life-changing decision.
- This number is based on 47.79% of our partners reporting. Most of these partners who reported in 2023 see around 54% of patients who are abortion-vulnerable (an all-time high). ↩︎
