Medical Termination of Pregnancy in India
In India, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Abortion in India) Act was enacted in 1971 and allows for termination of pregnancy under certain circumstances. The MTP (Abortion in India) Act allows for termination of pregnancy up to 20 weeks of gestation, but can be extended up to 24 weeks in certain situations.
Some of the conditions under which abortion is allowed in India include:
- Risk to the life of the pregnant woman.
- Risk to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
- Risk of a child being born with physical or mental abnormalities.
- Pregnancy caused by rape or failure of contraception.
To obtain an abortion in India, the woman must seek the help of a registered medical practitioner who is authorized to perform abortions. The doctor will evaluate the woman’s eligibility for abortion based on the conditions set out in the MTP (Abortion in India) Act and provide counseling on the options available to her. The woman must provide her consent for the procedure.
In India, it is illegal to perform abortions on women who have crossed the 20-week gestational period, except in cases where the woman’s life is in danger. In such cases, the woman or her family can approach the High Court for permission to terminate the pregnancy.
It is important to note that while abortion is legal in India, there are still social stigmas surrounding it, and many women face difficulties in accessing safe and legal abortion services. The Indian government has taken steps to address this issue by expanding access to safe abortion services and providing information and resources to women who need them.