BENGALURU: Pertaining to restrictions on medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) if it crosses 20 weeks, a woman in her third trimester moved Karnataka High Court, seeking directions to allow her an abortion as there were abnormalities in her foetus.
On hearing the petition, Justice B Veerappa directed the medical superintendent at Vani Vilas Hospital, to constitute a medical board to examine whether medical termination of pregnancy was required for the petitioner.
The medical board will comprise specialists, handling the cases of termination of pregnancy, so as to examine the petitioner and issue a report to the court. She was directed to appear before the medical superintendent of Vani Vilas Hospital on December 14.
According to the petition, Section 3 of MTP Act would enable the doctors to terminate pregnancy only if the pregnancy does not exceed 20 weeks. As the petitioner is into the 21st week of pregnancy and in view of restrictions, MTP is not permitted; although her husband has given consent.
In her petition, the woman said ultrasound tests were carried out on her during the fifth month of pregnancy to ensure that every organ of the foetus had developed properly.
The test revealed the foetus has Duodenal Atresia, which means a part of the intestine has not developed which can cause postnatal complications – bilious vomiting or intestinal obstruction – requiring emergency surgery on day 1.
The doctor has opined that the surgery may have complications resulting in a secondary surgery. The morbidity and mortality risk is high. The baby might not survive such complications soon after
birth.
Secondary part of the foetus backbone has not grown and that can lead to the baby not being able to walk after birth, and might be confined to bed. In that case, a long-term prognosis is not good, the doctor told the woman and hence she approached the court.