18 Hour Informed Consent Law
Indiana's 18 Hour Informed Consent Law requires that women receive certain information at least 18 hours before an abortion in a face to face meeting with a physician or certain other healhcare providers. We will provide this information during your Pre-Abortion Visit.

Our physician must explain the following:

• The nature of the proposed procedure
  
• Risks of and alternatives to the procedure
  
• Probable gestational age of the fetus, including an offer to show you an ultrasound of the fetus, an opportunity to listen to the fetal heartbeat and other relevant information on the potential survival of the fetus at its stage of development
  
• Risks associated with carrying the pregnancy to term
  
• Name of the physician who will perform the procedure

We must also provide the following information at least 18 hours before each abortion

• Medical assistance benefits may be available for prenatal care, childbirth and neonatal care
  
• The father is liable for child support, even if you are not married
  
• Adoption alternatives are available and the adoptive parents may legally pay the cost of prenatal care, child birth and neonatal care

In addition, we must provide an opportunity for you to ask our physician questions about the abortion.

At the end of the visit, we will ask you to sign an Informed Consent stating you have been provided all the information above, that you consent to the abortion voluntarily and that you are not under the influence of any drugs or alcohol.

Exceptions
The law provides only one exception to the 18 Hour Informed Consent, an emergency posing an immediate danger to a woman's health.

Parental Consent for Minors
If you are under the age of 18, the State of Indiana's Parental Consent Law requires one parent must provide written consent before the minor obtains an abortion. One of your parents or legally appointed guardian must accompany you to your Pre-Abortion Visit to provide this consent.

Exceptions for Minors
A minor may obtain an abortion without parental consent by securing a court order stating she is mature enough to make her own decision or that an abortion is in her best interest. We can provide some guidance with the process.

If a minor is emancipated (either married or working full time and self-supportive) she may obtain an abortion without parental consent.

Gestational Limits
Indiana requires that abortions after the first trimester of pregnancy must be performed in a hospital or licensed surgical center. This makes second trimester abortions unnecessarily expensive. Consequently, most Indiana women travel out of state for second trimester abortions.

Our Ohio Centers in Cincinnati and Dayton provide second trimester abortions to many out-of-state women. These Ohio Centers specialize in elective and therapeutic abortions from 6 through 24 weeks. Fetal anomaly terminations are done at our Dayton Center. For more specific information, click on the center closest to you.

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