Requiring doctors to describe fetal development to women seeking abortions may make good politics. But physicians say it isn't good medicine.

"It's such a third-party intervention in the doctor-patient relationship," said Dr. Shayne Plosker, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of South Florida. "It's impinging on our rights and freedoms as Americans. There are very few things as personal to people as their health care and their relationship with their doctor."

As director of USF's in vitro fertilization program, Plosker spends his days helping couples conceive. He often uses ultrasound to monitor early fetal development, and usually can see a heart beat by around six weeks gestation. By eight weeks, a head is visible. The liver, stomach and bladder may be seen at weeks nine through 13.

Still, Plosker noted, the earliest a baby has a chance of surviving outside the womb, with medical assistance, is at 23 to 24 weeks.

Plosker does not perform abortions. But the Florida legislation, now awaiting signing or veto by Gov. Charlie Crist, is so vague, he doesn't know what he is obligated to say, and he worries for parents whose fetus shows abnormalities. "To force that person who's already hurting and who's already having to make a difficult situation to look and hear a graphic explanation of what's going on, I find it repulsive and cruel," Plosker said.

Dr. Joshua Copel, a professor at Yale medical school and prenatal diagnostician who doesn't do abortions, opposes this kind of legislation. "The theme to these laws is either, doctors are convincing women to have abortions, or that women are not thinking seriously about the decision before they come to see us," he said.

"Having counseled many women over many years, I really find that's not the case."

Rep. Ed Homan, R-Tampa, a physician and abortion opponent, voted against the measure, saying its purpose "wasn't to practice better medicine. It's an ideology issue." Some day, he said, liberals might be in charge and could impose their ideology.

"The bottom line is, don't go there," said Homan, an orthopedic surgeon at USF. "Just let doctors practice medicine."