PIERRE - A panel of South Dakota legislators decided Friday that abortion doctors must offer to show women sonograms of their fetuses before abortions can be done.

Supporters of HB1193, passed 9-3 to the House floor by the State Affairs Committee, hope that such a law will convince many women to view the ultrasound images and then decide against going through with abortions.

Rep. Roger Hunt, R-Brandon, author of the measure, said it will help ensure that women are fully informed when making decisions on abortion.

The bill requires doctors to document refusals to view sonograms, but Hunt said a woman would not be forced to look at a sonogram.

"She has every opportunity and right to decline that offer," he said.

Opponents said women who are seeking abortions should not be put through additional stress. They also said the bill would intrude on the doctor-patient relationship.

Caitlin Collier, lobbyist for the South Dakota Advocacy Network for Women, said women seeking abortions have fully considered those decisions. There is no need for a law forcing doctors to offer to show them sonograms, she said, adding that doctors already do that.

"Feel-good bills don't help anybody, and they hinder democracy," Collier told the committee.

A similar bill was killed Wednesday by a Senate committee.