Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has allowed a 12-year-old rape survivor to terminate her 26-week pregnancy.
The doctors at Gandhi Hospital were initially reluctant to terminate the pregnancy as it had crossed the 24-week legal limit under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act. However, the High Court intervened and directed the hospital to seek the minor’s consent and proceed with the termination.
The High Court recognized that this was an exceptional case that warranted termination beyond the 24-week limit, given the young age of the survivor and the trauma she had endured.
The child’s mother had approached the High Court seeking directions for the abortion, as the doctors were unwilling to perform it due to the advanced stage of the pregnancy.
Justice B Vijaysen Reddy of the Telangana High Court directed the Superintendent of Gandhi Hospital to constitute a medical board to examine a minor rape victim who was five months pregnant and determine if termination of the pregnancy was possible.
The court gave the medical board until Friday morning, July 5, to submit its report in a sealed cover. The medical board examined the minor girl and submitted its report to the court, stating that the pregnancy could be terminated.
Based on the medical board’s findings, the judge then directed the Gandhi Hospital authorities to conduct the abortion, while taking all necessary precautions and obtaining the consent of the girl and her mother.
