Pa. Cons. Stat. » 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. (CRIMES AND OFFENSES) / Chapter 32
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3204 (2026)

 Medical consultation and judgment.

✓ laws through the 2026 session (checked Sept. 2026)
Coverage note: this corpus holds the consolidated Pa.C.S. titles only. Unconsolidated P.S. statutes (UTPCPL 73 P.S. § 201-1, Liquor Code, wage payment laws) are not included; a miss here does not mean the statute does not exist. Check palegis.us.
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section PA-LEGpalegis.us JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

§ 3204.  Medical consultation and judgment.

(a)  Abortion prohibited; exceptions.--No abortion shall be performed except by a physician after either:

(1)  he determines that, in his best clinical judgment, the abortion is necessary; or

(2)  he receives what he reasonably believes to be a written statement signed by another physician, hereinafter called the "referring physician," certifying that in this referring physician's best clinical judgment the abortion is necessary.

(b)  Requirements.--Except in a medical emergency where there is insufficient time before the abortion is performed, the woman upon whom the abortion is to be performed shall have a private medical consultation either with the physician who is to perform the abortion or with the referring physician. The consultation will be in a place, at a time and of a duration reasonably sufficient to enable the physician to determine whether, based on his best clinical judgment, the abortion is necessary.

(c)  Factors.--In determining in accordance with subsection (a) or (b) whether an abortion is necessary, a physician's best clinical judgment may be exercised in the light of all factors (physical, emotional, psychological, familial and the woman's age) relevant to the well-being of the woman. No abortion which is sought solely because of the sex of the unborn child shall be deemed a necessary abortion.

(d)  Penalty.--Any person who intentionally, knowingly or recklessly violates the provisions of this section commits a felony of the third degree, and any physician who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of "unprofessional conduct" and his license for the practice of medicine and surgery shall be subject to suspension or revocation in accordance with procedures provided under the act of October 5, 1978 (P.L.1109, No.261), known as the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act, the act of December 20, 1985 (P.L.457, No.112), known as the Medical Practice Act of 1985, or their successor acts.

(Mar. 25, 1988, P.L.262, No.31, eff. 30 days; Nov. 17, 1989, P.L.592, No.64, eff. 60 days)

 

1989 Amendment.  Act 64 amended subsecs. (c) and (d).

Cross References.  Section 3204 is referred to in section 3217 of this title.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1984–2021 · leading case: Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana & Kentucky, Inc., 587 U.S. 490 (2019).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Box v. Planned Parenthood of Indiana & Kentucky, Inc., 587 U.S. 490 (2019). · cites it 2× “2(B) (2016) (sex); 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. §3204 (c) (2015) (sex); S.”
Ne. Women's Ctr., Inc. v. McMonagle, 665 F. Supp. 1147 (E.D. Pa. 1987). · cites it 4× “The court held oral argument on the clean hands defense in open court outside the hearing of the jury.”
Preterm-Cleveland v. Stephanie McCloud, 994 F.3d 512 (6th Cir. 2021). · cites it 2× “18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3204 (c). So although the Casey plurality commented that it had disposed of any other “valid state interest” that could be presented, see Casey, 505 U.”
Am. Coll. of Obstetricians & Gynecologists v. Thornburgh, 737 F.2d 283 (3d Cir. 1984). “See Abortion Control Act, 18 Pa.Cons.Stat.Ann. §§ 3204(d), 3205(c), 3206(i), 3209, 3211(b), 3213(c), 3214(i), 3219(a).”
Preterm-Cleveland v. Stephanie McCloud, No. 18-3329 (6th Cir. Apr. 13, 2021). · cites it 2× “18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3204 (c). So although the Casey plurality commented that it had disposed of any other “valid state interest” that could be presented, see Casey, 505 U.”
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3204(a): 1 case
Ne. Women's Ctr., Inc. v. McMonagle, 665 F. Supp. 1147 (E.D. Pa. 1987). “The court held oral argument on the clean hands defense in open court outside the hearing of the jury.”
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3204(b): 1 case
Ne. Women's Ctr., Inc. v. McMonagle, 665 F. Supp. 1147 (E.D. Pa. 1987). “The court held oral argument on the clean hands defense in open court outside the hearing of the jury.”
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3204(c): 2 cases
Preterm-Cleveland v. Stephanie McCloud, 994 F.3d 512 (6th Cir. 2021). “18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3204 (c). So although the Casey plurality commented that it had disposed of any other “valid state interest” that could be presented, see Casey, 505 U.”
Preterm-Cleveland v. Stephanie McCloud, No. 18-3329 (6th Cir. Apr. 13, 2021). “18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3204 (c). So although the Casey plurality commented that it had disposed of any other “valid state interest” that could be presented, see Casey, 505 U.”
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3204(d): 1 case
Am. Coll. of Obstetricians & Gynecologists v. Thornburgh, 737 F.2d 283 (3d Cir. 1984). “See Abortion Control Act, 18 Pa.Cons.Stat.Ann. §§ 3204(d), 3205(c), 3206(i), 3209, 3211(b), 3213(c), 3214(i), 3219(a).”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.