New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a measure to prohibit the performance of pelvic exams without informed consent on patients under anesthesia or unconscious.
Cuomo's announcement Monday says the law takes effect in 180 days.
Roughly a dozen states this year have introduced bills to require patients undergoing gynecological surgeries give explicit approval to a pelvic exam beforehand.
A pelvic exam is standard practice before gynecologic surgeries. Medical students sometimes do the exams as part of training.
Democratic Sen. Roxanne Persaud says no one should have to worry about what unauthorized procedure can be done to their anesthetized body. She's said her office received calls from women wondering how they could find out if they had received a pelvic exam while under anesthesia that was performed by medical students.
