Unless the language or context clearly indicates a different meaning is intended, the following words or phrases for the purposes of sections 188.010 to 188.130 shall be given the meaning ascribed to them:

1. (1) "Abortion", the intentional destruction of the life of an embryo or fetus in his or her mother's womb or the intentional termination of the pregnancy of a mother with an intention other than to increase the probability of a live birth or to remove a dead or dying unborn child;
2. (2) "Abortion facility", a clinic, physician's office, or any other place or facility in which abortions are performed other than a hospital;
3. (3) "Conception", the fertilization of the ovum of a female by a sperm of a male;
4. (4) "Gestational age", length of pregnancy as measured from the first day of the woman's last menstrual period;
5. (5) "Physician", any person licensed to practice medicine in this state by the state board of registration of the healing arts;
6. (6) "Unborn child", the offspring of human beings from the moment of conception until birth and at every stage of its biological development, including the human conceptus, zygote, morula, blastocyst, embryo, and fetus;
7. (7) "Viability", that stage of fetal development when the life of the unborn child may be continued indefinitely outside the womb by natural or artificial life-supportive systems.

(L. 1974 H.B. 1211 § 2, A.L. 1979 H.B. 523, et al., A.L. 1986 H.B. 1596)

CROSS REFERENCE:

Life begins at conception, RSMo 1.205