Abortion

The government has notified the new Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Rules, 2021, that revised eligibility criteria for abortion, making it up to 24 weeks, which was previously up to 20 weeks. The eligibility criteria are also considered in cases of women who want to change their marital status during pregnancy, like widowhood or divorce, and even in cases of rape, incest, or sexual assault.

Following a request, the Delhi High Court on August 1 allowed a woman to abort her 22-week foetus due to defect and abnormality issues that also had very few survival chances. The decision was given by Justice Rekha Palli after reading the medical reports of the child's abnormality given by the AIl India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS). The parents were allowed to get the pregnancy terminated at the hospital of their choice. 

Former AIADMK minister M Manikandan has been booked for cheating in a love relationship after Tamil actress Shantini lodged a complaint against him on May 28 in this regard. Shantini alleged that Manikandan made her undergo multiple forced-abortions on the pretext of marriage. Besides, she accused him of threatening to post her private photos online. Meanwhile, the former IT minister dismissed every allegation and refused to recognise… read-more

Supreme Court bench headed by CJI SA Bobde on March 12 stated that pregnant rape survivors should receive due sensitization about their legal rights. Conferring four weeks responding time, SC issued a notice to the Centre concerning the establishment of countrywide medical boards for authorizing abortions of foetuses aged 20 weeks and above. The SC's statement arrived viewing lawyer VK Biju's appeal, representing a minor seeking termination… read-more

Argentina, one of the largest Latin American countries has 'legalized abortions up to the 14th week of pregnancy', after a 12 long hours of session on December 30. The senate gave 38 votes in favor, 29 against, and one abstention. The pro and anti-abortion activists had gathered in front of the capital Buenos Aires to have their voices heard.  "Every outcast is a child of God", Pope Francis, an Argentinian tweeted before the debate.