Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013
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Risk of loss of life from physical illness in emergency | ||
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8. (1) Notwithstanding the generality of section 7 , or any determination made or pending pursuant to section 13 of an application under section 10 (2), it shall be lawful to carry out a medical procedure in respect of a pregnant woman in accordance with this section in the course of which, or as a result of which, an unborn human life is ended where— | ||
(a) a medical practitioner, having examined the pregnant woman, believes in good faith that there is an immediate risk of loss of the woman’s life from a physical illness, | ||
(b) the medical procedure is, in his or her reasonable opinion (being an opinion formed in good faith which has regard to the need to preserve unborn human life as far as practicable) immediately necessary in order to save the life of the woman, and | ||
(c) the medical procedure is carried out by the medical practitioner. | ||
(2) Subject to section 19 , where a medical practitioner— | ||
(a) subject to paragraph (b), proposes to carry out a medical procedure referred to in subsection (1), he or she shall, before carrying out the medical procedure, certify the matters referred to in subsection (1)(a) and (b), | ||
(b) proposes to carry out the medical procedure without first making such certification because it is not practicable to do so, he or she shall make such certification as soon as may be but, in any event, not later than 72 hours after carrying out the medical procedure. |