Ohio Code 2919.193 – Determination of detectable fetal heartbeat; penalties
(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, no person shall knowingly and purposefully perform or induce an abortion on a pregnant woman before determining in accordance with division (A) of section 2919.192 of the Revised Code whether the unborn human individual the pregnant woman is carrying has a detectable heartbeat.
Attorney's Note
Under the Ohio Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Felony of the fifth degree | 6 to 12 months | up to $2,500 |
Terms Used In Ohio Code 2919.193
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Whoever: includes all persons, natural and artificial; partners; principals, agents, and employees; and all officials, public or private. See Ohio Code 1.02
Whoever violates this division is guilty of performing or inducing an abortion before determining whether there is a detectable fetal heartbeat, a felony of the fifth degree. A violation of this division may also be the basis of either of the following:
(1) A civil action for compensatory and exemplary damages;
(2) Disciplinary action under section 4731.22 of the Revised Code.
(B) Division (A) of this section does not apply to a physician who performs or induces the abortion if the physician believes that a medical emergency, as defined in section 2919.16 of the Revised Code, exists that prevents compliance with that division.
(C) A physician who performs or induces an abortion on a pregnant woman based on the exception in division (B) of this section shall make written notations in the pregnant woman’s medical records of both of the following:
(1) The physician’s belief that a medical emergency necessitating the abortion existed;
(2) The medical condition of the pregnant woman that assertedly prevented compliance with division (A) of this section.
For at least seven years from the date the notations are made, the physician shall maintain in the physician’s own records a copy of the notations.
(D) A person is not in violation of division (A) of this section if the person acts in accordance with division (A) of section 2919.192 of the Revised Code and the method used to determine the presence of a fetal heartbeat does not reveal a fetal heartbeat.