Kerala HC Okays Abortion For Rape Survivors

The Kerala High Court has ruled that a rape survivor will now be eligible for medical termination of pregnancy. The ruling comes on the heels of a petition filed by a woman from Kasaragod.

After the Government Hospital in Kasaragod and the Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode rejected her request for medical termination, the woman filed the petition before the high court.

The Medical Termination Pregnancy Act, which was put in place in 1971, allows abortion only until 20 weeks of pregnancy, and only under certain terms and conditions. Conditions include risk to a pregnant woman’s mental or physical health, and risk of the child suffering from serious handicap.

In July this year, the Supreme Court allowed a rape victim to abort her 24-week-old foetus.

She was allowed to terminate after 20 weeks under the exceptional circumstances clause which states that abortion after 20 weeks is permissible if the woman’s life is in danger.

Also Read: Now, a safe space to share abortion ordeal