Why is it in the news?

• Recently, the Supreme Court of India refused a married woman’s plea to medically terminate her 26-week pregnancy.

More about the news

Views of the Court

• The court cited medical reports indicating that the pregnancy was not an immediate danger to the woman’s life or that of the f0etus.
• The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act allows termination if the pregnancy is “immediately necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman.”
• The court clarified that the term ‘life’ in this provision has a specific context related to life-and-death situations, not the broader meaning in the Constitution’s Article 21.
• The court noted that the medication she took for her mental condition did not affect the foetus and prescribed alternative medicine to mitigate risks.

 Woman’s counsel

• The woman’s counsel mentioned her physical, emotional, and mental inability to carry, deliver, or raise another child.
• The government argued that medical reports indicated a healthy foetus with no abnormalities and that she was past the legal abortion limit.

Government stand

• The government offered to cover delivery expenses and facilitate adoption if the parents desired.