By Christine Herrera

The House committee on health has approved a bill requiring medical practitioners to conduct a pregnancy test on a woman-patient prior to undergoing liposuction, tummy tuck, butt augmentation and related cosmetic surgery.

The House panel, chaired by South Cotabato Rep. Arthur Pingoy Jr., was prompted to make the pregnancy test mandatory after Congress received reports that some women undergo liposuction and other cosmetic surgery to induce abortion.

In some cases, women who were not aware of the pregnancy lose their babies as a result of the harmful surgery.

The proposed law covers such procedures as liposuction (of the abdomen, arms, thighs, submental area, a combination thereof or involving the whole body), tummy tuck or abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, butt augmentation and chemical peeling of face and body.

The proposal, which substituted House Bill 3417, also requires the cosmetic surgery practitioners to make a reasonable disclosure of available choices with respect to a cosmetic procedure.

They are also required to inform the patient of the precise and potential risks associated with a specific cosmetic surgery procedure and the possible dangers of undergoing the same when the woman is pregnant.

Fisrt-time violators would face reprimand. Second-time violators would be penalized, reprimanded, and be made to pay a fine of P5,000.

First-time offender proven directly responsible for the death of the unborn child will suffer a stiffer penalty or fine not less than P50,000.00 and suspension of license to practice for one year or longer at the discretion of the court.