The court asked the girl, a class VII student from Mumbai, to appear before J J Hospital there on Thursday evening so that the termination can be carried out, preferably on Friday. dh file photo
The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a 13-year-old rape survivor to terminate her 31-week pregnancy, relying upon doctors’ opinion about the risk to her life as well as that of the baby.
“Considering the age of the petitioner, the trauma she has suffered because of the sexual abuse and the agony she is going through at present and above all, the report of the Medical Board, we think it appropriate that termination of the pregnancy should be allowed,” a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said.
The court asked the girl, a class VII student from Mumbai, to appear before J J Hospital there on Thursday evening so that the termination can be carried out, preferably on Friday.
The apex court had on August 28 directed for setting up a medical board to examine the plea made by advocate Sneha Mukherjee for the abortion of the foetus, which was beyond 20 weeks, a bar put under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.
It noted the report by the medical board, which said the termination of the pregnancy should be carried out. “It was also opined that the termination of the pregnancy at this stage or delivery at term will have equal risks to the mother. The baby born will be preterm and will have its own complications and would require Neonatal Intensive Care Unit admission,” the court said.