The Delhi High Court on Tuesday allowed the medical termination of pregnancy of a 24-year-old woman, who had undergone 24 weeks and 2 days of gestation period, as the foetus was suffering from multicystic dysplastic kidney and if the pregnancy is not brought to a natural end, the baby would be born with serious physical deformities.
A single-judge bench of Justice Rekha Palli relied on a report of 6-member medical board of Lady Hardinge Hospital dated October 11 to allow the termination under Section 3(2)(b) in The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.
The Report had stated that multicystic dysplastic kidney’s were most likely resultant of the foetus suffering from ‘Nonpolyposis’ (rare cancer) making the foetus incompatible with life. The report further stated that the petitioner had been counselled regarding the risks associated with such late termination of pregnancy.
According to the aforementioned report, the petitioner was physiologically and psychologically fit to undergo the medical termination of pregnancy.
The Court thanked the Lady Hardinge Hospital for expeditiously constituting the medical board and furnishing the report ascertaining the feasibility of medical termination of pregnancy of petitioner. On the previous date of hearing, the court had directed the hospital to constitute a medical board to ascertain the feasibility of medical termination of pregnancy of a woman, who has undergone 22 weeks and 5 days of gestation period, by furnishing a report, ascertaining the feasibility of medical termination of pregnancy of petitioner within five days.