Ky. Rev. Stat. » Chapter 311
Kentucky Revised Statutes

Ky. Rev. Stat. § 311.781 (2026)

Definitions for KRS 311.781 to 311.786

✓ current as of May 2026
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As used in KRS 311.781 to 311.786: (1) "Fertilization" means the fusion of a human spermatozoon with a human ovum; (2) "Gestational age" has the same meaning as in KRS 311.7701; (3) "Medical emergency" means a condition that in the physician's reasonable medical judgment, based upon the facts known to the physician at that time, so complicates the woman's pregnancy as to necessitate the immediate performance or inducement of an abortion in order to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or to avoid a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman that delay in the performance or inducement of the abortion would create; (4) "Pain-capable unborn child" means an unborn child of a probable gestational age of fifteen (15) weeks or more; (5) "Physician" has the same meaning as in KRS 311.720; (6) "Probable gestational age" has the same meaning as in KRS 311.720; (7) "Reasonable medical judgment" means a medical judgment that would be made by a reasonably prudent physician, knowledgeable about the case and the treatment possibilities with respect to the medical conditions involved; (8) "Serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function" means any medically diagnosed condition that so complicates the pregnancy of the woman as to directly or indirectly cause the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function. A medically diagnosed condition that constitutes a "serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function" includes pre-eclampsia, inevitable abortion, and premature rupture of the membranes, but does not include a condition related to the woman's mental health; and (9) "Unborn child" means an individual organism of the species homo sapiens from fertilization until live birth. Effective:April 14, 2022 History: Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 210, sec. 33, effective April 14, 2022. -- Created 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 5, sec. 1, effective January 9, 2017.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 2022–2025 · leading case: Daniel Cameron, in His Off. Capacity as Attorney Gen. of the Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Emw Women's Surgical Ctr., P.S.C., on Behalf of Itself, Its Staff & Its Patients (Ky. 2023).
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Daniel Cameron, in His Off. Capacity as Attorney Gen. of the Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Emw Women's Surgical Ctr., P.S.C., on Behalf of Itself, Its Staff & Its Patients (Ky. 2023). · cites it 2× “7701(10), KRS 311.781(3). 18 KRS 311.7706(2)(a). 19 KRS 311.”
Lawrence Miller, Jr. v. Brittany Bunch, Adm'x of the Est. of Autumn Raine Bunch (Ky. 2022). “010(1)(c), effective February 20, 2004, 16 which defines “Unborn child” as “a member of the species homo sapiens in utero from conception onward, without regard to age, health, or condition of dependency”; KRS 311.781(9), effective January 9, 2017, which defines “Unborn child”…”
Epionn J. Lee-Mccampbell v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2023). “7701(3); KRS 311.781(1). These definitions track the ordinary, legal, and medical understanding of the word “conception.”
Epionn J. Lee-Mccampbell v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2023). “7701(3); KRS 311.781(1). These definitions track the ordinary, legal, and medical understanding of the word “conception.”
Planned Parenthood Great Nw., Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana & Kentucky, Inc. v. Cameron (W.D. Ky. 2022). “Section 33 provides definitions applicable to KRS 311.781 through 311.786. Section 33 also adds definitions for “gestational age,” HB 3 § 33(2), and “probable gestational age,” id.”
Lisa Sobel v. Russell Coleman, in His Off. Capacity as Attorney Gen. of the Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. Ct. App. 2025). “720(8), KRS 311.781(9), and KRS 311.7701(16). KRS 507A.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 311.781(1) — 2 cases
Epionn J. Lee-Mccampbell v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2023). “7701(3); KRS 311.781(1). These definitions track the ordinary, legal, and medical understanding of the word “conception.”
Epionn J. Lee-Mccampbell v. Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. 2023). “7701(3); KRS 311.781(1). These definitions track the ordinary, legal, and medical understanding of the word “conception.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 311.781(3) — 1 case
Daniel Cameron, in His Off. Capacity as Attorney Gen. of the Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Emw Women's Surgical Ctr., P.S.C., on Behalf of Itself, Its Staff & Its Patients (Ky. 2023). “7701(10), KRS 311.781(3). 18 KRS 311.7706(2)(a). 19 KRS 311.”
— Ky. Rev. Stat. § 311.781(9) — 3 cases
Lawrence Miller, Jr. v. Brittany Bunch, Adm'x of the Est. of Autumn Raine Bunch (Ky. 2022). “010(1)(c), effective February 20, 2004, 16 which defines “Unborn child” as “a member of the species homo sapiens in utero from conception onward, without regard to age, health, or condition of dependency”; KRS 311.781(9), effective January 9, 2017, which defines “Unborn child”…”
Daniel Cameron, in His Off. Capacity as Attorney Gen. of the Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Emw Women's Surgical Ctr., P.S.C., on Behalf of Itself, Its Staff & Its Patients (Ky. 2023). “7701(10), KRS 311.781(3). 18 KRS 311.7706(2)(a). 19 KRS 311.”
Lisa Sobel v. Russell Coleman, in His Off. Capacity as Attorney Gen. of the Commonwealth of Kentucky (Ky. Ct. App. 2025). “720(8), KRS 311.781(9), and KRS 311.7701(16). KRS 507A.”
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