Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has granted permission for a teenager, who is a victim of child marriage, to undergo medical termination of her 28-week pregnancy due to foetal abnormalities.
In its order dated April 12, a division bench comprising Justices PD Naik and NR Borkar noted that the girl is "HIV seropositive." A copy of the order was made available today.
Girl sought permission to get her pregnancy terminated
The 17-year-old girl filed a petition in the high court seeking permission to terminate her pregnancy, citing scans that revealed skeletal anomalies in the fetus, along with the possibility of genetic abnormalities.
According to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, a court's approval is necessary to terminate a pregnancy beyond 24 weeks of gestation.
The high court based its decision on a report submitted by the medical board of the state-run Sassoon General Hospital in Pune, which recommended the termination of the pregnancy. The report highlighted that the girl is a minor and a victim of child marriage, along with her "HIV seropositive status." The medical board's report indicated that the fetus had multiple defects.
Considering the mental and medical condition of the girl, the high court permitted the termination of the pregnancy.
(With PTI inputs)
