As used in this part, the following definitions apply:
(1)
- (a) "Abortion" means the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or other substance or device to intentionally terminate the pregnancy of a woman known to be pregnant, with an intention other than to increase the probability of a live birth, to preserve the life or health of the child after live birth, or to remove a dead unborn human being.
(b) The term does not include:
- (i) an act to remove an ectopic pregnancy; or
- (ii) a separation procedure performed because of a medical emergency and prior to the ability of the unborn child to survive outside of the womb with or without artificial support.
- (2) "Attempt to perform or induce an abortion" means to do or omit anything that, under the circumstances as a person 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 part.
- (3) "Department" means the department of public health and human services provided for in 2-15-2201.
(4) "Dismemberment abortion" or "dismemberment abortion procedure" means a procedure that involves:
- (a) the use or prescription of any instrument, medicine, drug, or other substance or device to intentionally terminate the clinically diagnosable pregnancy of a woman with knowledge that the termination by those means will, with reasonable likelihood, cause the death of the unborn human being; and
- (b) dilation of the cervix, insertion of grasping instruments, and removal of disarticulated fetal parts from a living unborn human being.
- (5) "Gestational age" or "probable gestation age" means the age of an unborn human being as calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period of the pregnant woman.
- (6) "Human being" means an individual member of the species Homo sapiens, from and after the point of conception.
- (7) "Knowingly" has the meaning provided in 45-2-101.
- (8) "Major bodily function" includes but is not limited to functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, and digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions.
(9)
- (a) "Medical emergency" means a condition that, on the basis of a physician's good faith clinical judgment, makes a separation procedure performed prior to the ability of the unborn human being to survive outside of the womb with or without artificial support necessary to preserve the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury, including a life-endangering physical condition arising from the pregnancy itself, or when the continuation of the pregnancy will create a serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.
- (b) The term does not include mental or psychological conditions.
- (10) "Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine in Montana.
- (11) "Physician assistant" means a person licensed under Title 37, chapter 20.
- (12) "Pregnant" means the human female reproductive condition of having a living unborn human being within the female's body throughout the entire embryonic and fetal stages of the unborn human being from fertilization to full gestation and childbirth.
- (13) "Purposely" has the meaning provided in 45-2-101.
History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 490, L. 2023.