Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1996 (Act No. 92 of 1996)

1. Definitions

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In this Act, unless the context otherwise indicates—

 

"Director-General"

means the Director-General of Health;

 

"gestation period"

means the period of pregnancy of a woman calculated from the first day of the menstrual period which in relation to the pregnancy is the last;

 

"Head of Department"

means the head of a provincial health department;

[Definition inserted by section 1(a) of Act No. 1 of 2008]

 

"incest"

means sexual intercourse between two persons who are related to each other in a degree which precludes a lawful marriage between them as contemplated in section 12 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007;

[Definition substituted by section 68(2) of Act No. 32 of 2007]

 

"medical practitioner"

means a person registered as such under the Medical, Dental and Supplementary Health Service Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974);

 

"Member of the Executive Council"

means the member of the Executive Council of a province who is responsible for health in that province;

[Definition inserted by section 1(b) of Act No. 1 of 2008]

 

"Minister"

means the Minister of Health;

 

"minor"

means any female person under the age of 18 years;

 

"prescribe"

means prescribe by regulation under section 9;

 

"rape"

refers to the offences contemplated in section 3, 4 and 15 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007;

[Definition substituted by section 68(2) of Act No. 32 of 2007]

 

"registered midwife"

means a person registered as such under the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005), and who has in addition undergone prescribed training in terms of this Act;

[Definition substituted by section 1(c) of Act No. 1 of 2008]

 

"registered nurse"

means a person registered as such under the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005), and who has in addition undergone prescribed training in terms of this Act;

[Definition inserted by section 1(d) of Act No. 1 of 2008]

 

"termination of a pregnancy"

means the separation and expulsion, by medical or surgical means, of the contents of the uterus of a pregnant woman;

 

"woman"

means any female person of any age.