Legal Definitions - Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003

The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 is a law that makes it illegal to perform a certain type of abortion called a partial-birth abortion. This type of abortion is also known as intact dilation and extraction. The law was passed by the United States Congress because they believed that this type of abortion is cruel and unnecessary.

A partial-birth abortion is defined in the law as a situation where a doctor intentionally delivers a living fetus until the head or any part of the trunk past the navel is outside the mother's body. The doctor then performs an action that they know will kill the fetus. This type of abortion is only allowed if the mother's life is in danger because of a physical disorder, illness, or injury caused by the pregnancy.

For example, if a woman is pregnant and has a serious medical condition that could cause her to die, a doctor may perform a partial-birth abortion to save her life. However, if a woman wants to have an abortion for other reasons, such as not wanting to have a baby, a doctor cannot perform a partial-birth abortion.

If a doctor performs a partial-birth abortion when it is not allowed by the law, they can be fined or sent to prison for up to two years. The law also says that a woman who asks a doctor to perform a partial-birth abortion can be charged with a crime.