Image Clear Ultrasound

Originally Published: January 16, 2023

Today someone saw a mobile RV unit from “Image Clear Ultrasound” parked in St. Mary’s Square on Great Mills Rd. (example - Image 1). Advertised on the side of the RV was the phrase “Free Pregnancy Tests and Ultrasound.” A quick visit to the website shows inviting pictures, describing the main area of the RV as having a couch and a chair “like a living room.” The medical room is in the back, behind double doors and extremely private. The website gives a lot of information about what is offered, including pregnancy tests and ultrasounds. There is also information about options, including abortion, adoption, safe haven laws and parenting.

The website goes into detail about how pregnancy tests and ultrasounds are performed. It also explains the various forms of abortion in descriptive language that is difficult to read. The information about abortion on this website is very scary and negative. “Obsessive involvement in either pro-life or pro-abortion activities” is listed next to “desire to replace aborted baby” and “violent outbursts” as examples of “Psychological, emotional, relationship effects connected to abortion.” At the very bottom of one of the abortion pages is the phrase “Image Clear Ultrasound neither refers for, nor performs, abortions.” (Image 2). The word “Baby” is used much more than, and sometimes in place of, the word “fetus.”

Finding contact information on this website is very difficult, despite several “Contact Us” buttons being present. They take you to a page with a list of locations by state–noticeably, Maryland is NOT listed there. When you click on a specific location you arrive at a page listing services provided, a clickable calendar to schedule an appointment, and a “Call Us” button. There is no information about who works on these RVs, aside from the names of positions like “Mobile Team” or “sonographer” or “licensed nurse with training in ultrasound.” Licensed by who?

A “Privacy Policy” link is available, though not obvious in small type at the very bottom of the website in the footer. Clicking that link unveils a list of ways ICU (Image Clear Ultrasound) may use any personal information collected in person or while you are visiting their website. (I spent quite some time there this evening). At the very bottom of that page is a section called “How To Contact Us” (Image 3). The Company Name is listed as “Company Name,” the Address as “Company Address,” and Phone as “Company Phone.”

Thankfully, there is Google. Google “image clear ultrasound” and the third result is a website–guidestar.org. Clicking that link takes you to a page called “Candid.” This is a company that provides factual information on philanthropic organizations. But boy, did I have to dig to get here.

Scrolling down to ICU’s profile, the title is “Image Clear Ultrasound: Serving Women Saving Lives Sharing Christ.” The Mission reads, in part “women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy may…confirm pregnancy and see their unborn child free of charge…in order to make a fully informed, life-affirming decision. We are committed to sharing the love of Jesus Christ through the good news of the Gospel with every person who comes on board an ICU Mobile.” (Image 4)

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Now, imagine you’re a teenage girl and you think you might be pregnant. You happen to spot a “Image Clear Ultrasound” mobile unit parked in the local shopping center while you’re out one weekend. You’re unsure about it, because you’ve never seen it before. So you Google it. Finding their website, you quickly scroll through a few pages and see lots of paragraphs full of text, pictures of young people of varying backgrounds. You see links to pages with information about pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and, yes, abortions.

You’re scared and not sure what to do. You haven’t told anyone you think you might be pregnant. You know your parents will freak the fuck out, and you aren’t sure if you can raise a baby right now. How will you do this? How many nights have you already stayed up, without sleep, just worrying about WHAT to do, or who to tell, if anyone? You’re not sure if there is a place to go to get answers. You don’t even know if you want to have an abortion. How do you even begin to think about making that kind of decision?

This might be the only chance you have to talk to someone who could help you figure this out.

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Everything about this Image Clear Ultrasound RV is designed specifically and with intentional purpose. It’s mobile, on wheels, so an appointment is likely going to be quick. The website looks legit when scrolling through it. There’s clear information about several choices a pregnant person may have to make. The fact that this place doesn’t provide or recommend abortions is on the website, but at the bottom of a page full of information.

Think about the split-second decision making that has to occur here. Think about the fast-paced way in which we gather and review information these days. Think about being young, scared, and desperate to find a solution and then seeing a smiling face guiding you inside as you walk towards the ICU RV.

No matter your opinion on the issue of abortion, this should be disturbing. We should champion, and demand, clear and factual representation of services. In a situation where life altering decisions may be made, transparency should be at the forefront. Based on what I’ve read about this organization, it is absolutely a predatory situation designed to lure in young, desperate individuals who are looking for help only to place them in a situation where the information provided will be laden with a certain point of view and influence.

I fully support the presentation of all options with facts and without judgment.

We need an expansion of accessible healthcare in our area where people can find trusted advisors, no judgment, and feel safe.

It was a woman who saw this RV unit, and it was her post elsewhere that led to my learning more.