New Delhi: The Delhi High Court refused to grant permission to a 20-year-old unmarried woman to terminate her 27-week pregnancy, saying that the foetus is healthy and viable and foeticide would neither be ethical nor legally permissible.

Justice Subramonium Prasad was hearing a plea filed by the 20-year-old unmarried woman, submitting that she was a student with no source of income and preparing for the NEET examination and carrying the pregnancy will cause grave injury to her physical and mental health. She sought to abort her foetus under the provisions of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act.

The counsel appearing for the petitioner woman argued before the High Court that continuing with the pregnancy would jeopardise her career and future, as there will be social stigma and harassment.

The High Court, however, said that petitioner woman’s medical report showed that there was neither any congenital abnormality in the foetus nor a potential danger to the mother to carry on with the pregnancy and “Since the foetus is viable and normal and there is no danger to the petitioner to carry on with the pregnancy, foeticide would neither be ethical nor legally permissible.”

“The petitioner (woman) would have to be induced to deliver the child and such delivery could be detrimental to the mental and physical health of the newborn since it would be a pre-term delivery. It could also be detrimental to the mother for her future pregnancies,” Justice Prasad said while refusing to allow the plea.

The High Court further said that said it is open for the petitioner woman to approach the AIIMS, New Delhi, for delivery and future course of action, if she wishes to, and if the petitioner woman is inclined to put the baby up for adoption, she is at liberty to approach the Centre which shall ensure that the process of adoption takes place at the earliest and in a smooth fashion.

QOSHE - Neither ethical nor legally permissible: Delhi HC refuses to allow pregnancy termination of unmarried woman - Nitish K Singh
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Neither ethical nor legally permissible: Delhi HC refuses to allow pregnancy termination of unmarried woman

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08.05.2024

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court refused to grant permission to a 20-year-old unmarried woman to terminate her 27-week pregnancy, saying that the foetus is healthy and viable and foeticide would neither be ethical nor legally permissible.

Justice Subramonium Prasad was hearing a plea filed by the 20-year-old unmarried woman, submitting that she was a student with no source of income and preparing for the NEET examination and carrying the pregnancy will cause grave........

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