West Virginia Code § 16-2R-8

Protection of aborted fetuses born alive
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(a) Whenever a licensed medical professional performs or induces, or attempts to perform or
induce an abortion and the child is born alive, the licensed medical professional shall:
(1) Exercise the same degree of reasonable medical judgment to preserve the life and health
of the child in the same manner as the licensed medical professional would render to any
child alive at birth of the same gestational age;
(2) Ensure that the child is immediately transported and admitted to an appropriate medical
facility. u
(b) Any licensed medical professional who knowingly and willfully violates subsection (a) of
this section shall be considered to have breached the standard of care owed to patients and
is subject to discipline from the appropriate licensure aboard for such conduct, including but
not limited to loss of professional license to practice.
(c) Any person, not subject to subsection (a) of this section, who knowingly and willfully
violates subsection (a) of this section is guilty of the unauthorized practice of medicine in
violation of §30-3-13 of this code and, uponi conviction thereof, is subject to the penalties
contained in that section: Provided, That the provisions of this subsection (c) enacted during
the third extraordinary session of the Legislature, 2022, shall be effective 90 days from
passage.
(d) In addition to the penalties referenced in this section, a patient may seek any remedy
otherwise available to the patient by applicable law.
(e) This section shall not be construed to subject any patient upon whom an abortion is
performed or Vinduced or attempted to be performed or induced to a criminal penalty for any
violation of this section as a principal, accessory or accomplice, conspirator, or aider and
abettor.

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