Arkansas § 20-16-2503 Informed consent for chemical abortions

Arkansas Statutes

§ 20-16-2503 — Informed consent for chemical abortions

Arkansas § 20-16-2503

Title20

This text of Arkansas § 20-16-2503 (Informed consent for chemical abortions) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Ark. Code Ann. § 20-16-2503 (2026).

Text

(a)A chemical abortion shall not be performed or induced without the voluntary and informed consent of the pregnant woman upon whom the chemical abortion is to be performed or induced.

(b)Except in the case of a medical emergency, consent to a chemical abortion is voluntary and informational only if at least seventy-two (72) hours before the abortion, the healthcare provider who is to perform the chemical abortion or the referring healthcare provider has informed the pregnant woman, orally and in person, of the following:

(1)The probable gestational age of the unborn child as determined by patient history and ultrasound results used to confirm the gestational age;

(2)A detailed description of the chemical abortion regimen to be used;

(3)A detailed list of the risks and complications r

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(a) A chemical abortion shall not be performed or induced without the voluntary and informed consent of the pregnant woman upon whom the chemical abortion is to be performed or induced. (b) Except in the case of a medical emergency, consent to a chemical abortion is voluntary and informational only if at least seventy-two (72) hours before the abortion, the healthcare provider who is to perform the chemical abortion or the referring healthcare provider has informed the pregnant woman, orally and in person, of the following: (1) The probable gestational age of the unborn child as determined by patient history and ultrasound results used to confirm the gestational age; (2) A detailed description of the chemical abortion regimen to be used; (3) A detailed list of the risks and complications related to the specific chemical abortion regimen to be used, including without limitation hemorrhage, failure to remove all pregnancy tissue which may require an additional procedure, sepsis or other infections, sterility, possible continuation of pregnancy, and death; (4) Information about Rh incompatibility, including that if the pregnant woman has an Rh negative blood type, she should receive an injection of Rh immunoglobulin at the time of the chemical abortion to prevent Rh incompatibility in future pregnancies, which can lead to complications and miscarriage; (5) The risks of complications from a chemical abortion increase with advancing gestational age; (6) Information on reversing the effects of the chemical abortion if the pregnant woman changes her mind, but that time is of the essence; (7) Human trafficking literature, also known as "Laura's Card", as described in § 16-90-1107 ; (8) Information about post-abortion care, including how to handle and respond to and report complications from the chemical abortion; and (9) Information on scheduling post-abortion medical visits to ensure completion of the abortion, assess the need for additional procedures or care, and assess bleeding or other potential complications. (c) (1) Except in the case of a medical emergency, before a chemical abortion, a pregnant woman shall certify on a written checklist form provided or approved by the Department of Health that the information described in subsection (b) of this section has been provided. (2) (A) The healthcare provider who is to perform the chemical abortion shall receive, sign, and date a copy of the written certification described in subdivision (c)(1) of this section before performing a chemical abortion. (B) The healthcare provider shall retain a copy of the written certification form in the pregnant woman's medical record.