Title 23
Health and Safety

Chapter 4.7
Informed Consent for Abortion

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-4.7-5

§ 23-4.7-5. Consent form.

(a) The woman’s written consent required by § 23-4.7-2 shall be on a form provided by the physician or facility and containing:

(1) The disclosures required by § 23-4.7-3; and

(2) The woman’s acknowledgment that either the physician who is to perform the abortion or his or her authorized agent or another physician or his or her authorized agent has provided her with the information required by § 23-4.7-3.

(b)(1) The form shall in addition include the following statement: “If you decide to carry your pregnancy to term but not to keep the child, you may be able to place the child with either a relative, or with another family through foster care or adoption.”

(2) The person making the disclosures required under § 23-4.7-3 shall not be required to state anything with respect to the contents of subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(c) In cases where the woman does not understand English, either the consent form shall be written in a language understood by her, or the person informing her shall certify on the consent form that in his or her opinion, the information required to be given by § 23-4.7-3 has been given in a manner as to be understandable by her; if an interpreter is used, the interpreter shall be named and reference to that use shall be made on the consent form.

(d) A copy of the form shall be made available to the woman upon her request.

History of Section.
P.L. 1982, ch. 323, § 2.