§ 20-16-902 - Definitions. - Arkansas Statutes

20-16-902. Definitions.

As used in this subchapter:

(1) "Abortion" means the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance or device intentionally to terminate the pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant, for a purpose other than to increase the probability of a live birth, to preserve the life or health of the child after a live birth, or to remove a dead fetus;

(2) "Attempt to perform an abortion" means an act or an omission of a statutorily required act that under the circumstances as the actor believes them to be constitutes a substantial step in a course of conduct planned to culminate in the termination of a pregnancy in Arkansas;

(3) "Board" means the Arkansas State Medical Board or the appropriate health care professional licensing board;

(4) "Division" means the Division of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;

(5) "Director" means the Director of the Division of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services;

(6) "Gestational age" means the age of the fetus as calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period of the pregnant woman;

(7) "Medical emergency" means any condition which, on the basis of the physician's good faith clinical judgment, so complicates the medical condition of a pregnant woman as to necessitate the immediate termination of her pregnancy to avert her death or for which a delay will create serious risk of impairment of a major bodily function which is substantial and deemed to be irreversible;

(8) "Physician" means any person licensed to practice medicine in this state; and

(9) "Probable gestational age of the fetus" means what in the judgment of the physician will with reasonable probability be the gestational age of the fetus at the time the abortion is planned to be performed.