MUMBAI: Considering her socio-economic status, Bombay high court allowed an 18-year-old’s plea for medical termination of her 26-week pregnancy. “In the facts and circumstances, compelling the petitioner, a girl of tender age, to have an unwanted child may lead to disastrous consequences for the rest of her life, not only for the petitioner, but for the entire family,’’ a bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Madhav Jamdar said on October 6.
The girl said continuation of pregnancy would adversely affect her mental health. A JJ Hospital panel said the foetus had no abnormality and she did not have a medical or pregnancy-related disease. “The mother has moderate depressive episodes, and with treatment continuation of pregnancy is unlikely to affect her mental health. The mental condition the patient suffers from does not fulfil criteria of substantial risk of causing grave mental injury to the mother, and hence does not warrant medical termination of pregnancy.” The girl’s advocate, Shriram Kulkarni, said the medical board ignored her psychological condition.
The girl said continuation of pregnancy would adversely affect her mental health. A JJ Hospital panel said the foetus had no abnormality and she did not have a medical or pregnancy-related disease. “The mother has moderate depressive episodes, and with treatment continuation of pregnancy is unlikely to affect her mental health. The mental condition the patient suffers from does not fulfil criteria of substantial risk of causing grave mental injury to the mother, and hence does not warrant medical termination of pregnancy.” The girl’s advocate, Shriram Kulkarni, said the medical board ignored her psychological condition.
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