SC Allows Pune-Based Woman To Abort 24-Week Old Foetus:- A Pune-based woman (20) has been allowed by the Supreme Court to abort her 24-week old foetus, which does not have a skull or a brain.

The report of the medical board of the Pune-based BJ Government Medical College said that there was no medical treatment for the anomaly. And hence, the SC relied on the report.

“We consider it appropriate and in the interest of justice to allow termination of pregnancy,” a bench comprising Justices SA Bobde and L Nageswara Rao said. The woman was examined at the Pune hospital. The doctors in their report said that there was a “complete absence of brain and skull” of the foetus and survival rate was minimal.

The bench was informed by Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Centre, that in accordance with the apex court’s earlier direction, to deal with such abortion related matters, the government had communicated to all the states and union territories to constitute medical board.

“The Union of India has communicated to all the states and union territories about having such medical boards in place,” Kumar told the court.

The order of the apex court came on a petition of woman seeking its approval  to undergo medical termination of pregnancy on the ground that the skull of the foetus had not formed and the child, if born alive, may not be able to survive.

The abortion of a foetus after 20 weeks of pregnancy, is prohibited by Section 3(2)(b) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.

SUPRAJA