36-2321. Definitions

In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Abortion" has the same meaning prescribed in section 36-2151.

2. "Attempt to perform or induce an abortion" means to do or to omit doing anything that, under the circumstances as the physician believes them to be, is an act or omission that constitutes a substantial step in a course of conduct planned to culminate in the performance or induction of an abortion in violation of this article.

3. "Department" means the department of health services.

4. "Gestational age" or "probable gestational age" means the age of an unborn human being as calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period of the pregnant woman.

5. "Human being" means an individual member of the species homo sapiens, from and after the point of conception.

6. "Major bodily function" includes functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, and digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine and reproductive functions.

7. "Medical emergency" means a condition that, 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 abortion of her pregnancy to avert her death or for which a delay will create serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.

8. "Physician" means a person who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17.