THE MEDICAL TERMINATION OF

PREGNANCY ACT, 1971

INTRODUCTION

An enabling act which:

• Aims to improve the maternal health scenario.

• Legalizes abortion services

• Promotes access to safe abortion services to women

• De-criminalizes the abortion seeker

INDICATIONS Continuation of pregnancy constitutes risk to the life or

grave injury to the physical or mental health of woman

Substantial risk of physical or mental abnormalities inthe fetus as to render it seriously handicapped

Pregnancy caused by rape (presumed grave injury tomental health)

Contraceptive failure in married couple (presumed graveinjury to mental health)

“In determining whether the continuance of pregnancy would involve such risk of injury to the health (as mentioned above), account may be taken of the pregnant woman’s actual or reasonable foreseeable environment”

LEGAL ABORTIONS

Abortions are termed legal only when all the followingconditions are met:

• Termination done by a medical practitionerapproved by the Act.

• Termination done at a place approved under theAct.

• Termination done for conditions and within thegestation prescribed by the Act.

WHEN CAN PREGNANCIES BE TERMINATED?

• Where the length of the pregnancy does not exceed 12 weeks.

• Where the length of pregnancy exceeds 12 weeks but does not exceed 20 weeks. the continuance of pregnancy may involve a risk

to the life if the woman. There is a substantial risk to the child- either

physical or mental.• No pregnancy of a woman who has not attained the

age of 18years, or woman of 18 years but mentally ill, shall be terminated except with the consent in writing of her guardian.

WHERE CAN PREGNANCY BE TERMINATED?

• A hospital established or maintained by

government.

• A place approved for the purpose of this Act by a

district-level Committee constituted by the

government with the CMHO as Chairperson.

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