Section 4731.82 | Woman appearing before physician regarding fetal death.
(A) As used in this section:
(1) "Fetal death" has the same meaning as in section 3705.01 of the Revised Code, except that it does not include either of the following:
(a) The product of human conception of at least twenty weeks of gestation;
(b) The purposeful termination of a pregnancy, as described in section 2919.11 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Physician" means an individual holding a license issued under this chapter to practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery.
(B) If a woman in the process of experiencing a fetal death or with the product of human conception as a result of a fetal death presents herself to a physician and is not referred to a hospital, the attending physician shall provide the woman with all of the following:
(1) A written statement, not longer than one page in length, that confirms that the woman was pregnant and that she subsequently suffered a miscarriage that resulted in a fetal death;
(2) Notice of the right of the woman to apply for a fetal death certificate pursuant to section 3705.20 of the Revised Code;
(3) A short, general description of the attending physician's procedures for disposing of the product of a fetal death.
The attending physician may present the notice and description required by divisions (B)(2) and (B)(3) of this section through oral or written means. The physician shall document in the woman's medical record that all of the items required by this division were provided to the woman and shall place in the record a copy of the statement required by division (B)(1) of this section.
(C) A physician is immune from civil or criminal liability or professional disciplinary action with regard to any action taken in good faith compliance with this section.
Available Versions of this Section
- September 12, 2008 – Senate Bill 175 - 127th General Assembly [ View September 12, 2008 Version ]
- September 29, 2017 – Amended by House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly [ View September 29, 2017 Version ]