Bombay High Court: Women have the right to choose whether to continue their pregnancy or terminate it. The decision solely lies with the pregnant woman alone, and no one can force her in any way to amend that decision, not even the medical board.
On 20th January, the Bombay High Court division bench, with Justice S G Dige and Justice Gautam Patel, declared the judgement regarding the medical termination of 32 weeks old pregnancy. The medical board declared that the pregnancy must not be terminated despite serious foetal abnormalities because this is the end stage of pregnancy. The court refused to accept this decision. On the contrary, the court allowed the married woman to terminate her pregnancy even after 32 weeks. The decision was made purely on the decision of the woman itself, and it was against the Medical termination of pregnancy Act.
According to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1971, a less than 24 week- old pregnancy was legally allowed to terminate. The court’s decision, in this case, exceeded the term to 32 weeks for termination.