A bench of Justices Shahrukh Kathawalla and Surendra Tavade allowed a plea by the 41-year-old woman with a psychiatric issue and her husband to allow MTP of her entire pregnancy as one fetus has anencephaly, where a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull.
Taking note that on May 12, another HC bench had directed a panel to examine her “for the possibility of termination of one fetus only”, the judges on May 17 reconstituted the panel and sought a report on the termination of the “entire” pregnancy.
The panel’s May 20 report said the first fetus showed anencephaly and is not likely to survive. The second has a soft chromosomal marker which means it would probably have genetic abnormalities.
The report said the third fetus was healthy. Foetal medicine expert, Dr Purnima Satoskar advised termination as per Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecogists guidelines.