High Court: Bombay HC allows to terminate 25-week pregnancy!
Medical Termination of Pregnancy: Bombay High Court, while giving a historic decision, has given permission to a 12-year-old rape victim to abort her pregnancy beyond 25 weeks. The victim is 25 weeks and 4 days pregnant.
Bombay HC allows to terminate 25-week pregnancy: Bombay High Court, while giving a historic decision, has given permission for abortion to a 12-year-old rape victim. The victim is 25 weeks and 4 days pregnant and the court has given this decision keeping in mind her welfare and safety. The vacation bench of Justice Sandeep Marne and Justice Neela Gokhale, while considering the report presented by the medical board of JJ Hospital, said that the victim is a minor and her well-being and safety are paramount.
The girl's mother had asked for permission for an abortion.
The report presented by the Medical Board of JJ Hospital recommended termination of pregnancy on humanitarian grounds. Earlier on May 9, the High Court had directed the medical board to examine the girl. The girl's mother, through lawyer Ashley Kushner, had sought permission for medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) in the High Court, because the legal limit for abortion is 24 weeks and her daughter's pregnancy had crossed it.
According to the TOI report, both the high court judges took into account other circumstances such as her age and 'that the minor was unaware of the fact that she was pregnant' while allowing the MTP or medical abortion to proceed. Keeping in mind the urgency of the situation, he has directed the hospital to immediately form a team to start MTP.
14-year-old brother had raped the girl
On May 2, the girl complained of stomach pain. After this, the girl's mother took her to a health center, where the pregnancy was confirmed. The girl told her mother that in October last year, when no one was at home, her 14-year-old elder brother had forcibly had physical relations with her. Along with this, he intimidated her and threatened her that if she told anyone, she would have to face serious consequences.
What are the rules of medical abortion?
Under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, medical abortion is allowed up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. In this, married women, rape victims, disabled women, and minor girls are allowed to do this. If the pregnancy is more than 24 weeks, then permission for abortion has to be taken from the court on the advice of the medical board.