---
title: O.C.G.A. § 31-9A-5. Requirements in case of medical emergency.
collection: code
id: 31-9A-5
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 31-9A-5 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-9A-5
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-9A-5.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-9A-5/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t31-(v23)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=da7ded69_0#page=625
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/31-9A.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: HEALTH / WOMAN’S RIGHT TO KNOW
---

# O.C.G.A. § 31-9A-5. Requirements in case of medical emergency.

(a) When a medical emergency compels the performance of an abortion, the physician shall inform the female prior to the abortion, if medically reasonable and prudent, of the medical indications supporting the physician’s judgment that an abortion is medically necessary to avert her death or that a 24 hour delay will create serious risk of substantial or irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.

(b) Any physician who complies with subsection (a) of this Code section shall not be held civilly liable to a patient for failure to obtain informed consent to an abortion.

## History

Code 1981, § 31-9A-5, enacted by Ga. L. 2005, p. 1450, § 6/HB 197.