The Bombay High Court (HC) has allowed a minor who was the victim of child marriage to have her 28-week pregnancy terminated medically due to foetal abnormalities.
A division bench of Justices PD Naik and NR Borkar noted in its April 12 ruling that the girl was "HIV seropositive”.
A copy of the order was made accessible today, Thursday, April 18, PTI reports.
The 17-year-old girl had filed a petition in the high court seeking permission to abort her pregnancy, claiming that tests revealed bone defects and the likelihood of genetic disorders.
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act requires a court order to terminate a pregnancy after 24 weeks of gestation.
The high court relied on a report given by the medical board of the state-run Sassoon General Hospital in Pune, which recommended that the pregnancy be terminated because the girl is a minor and a victim of child marriage with "HIV seropositive status".
The board stated in its findings that the foetus had several abnormalities.
The Supreme Court stated that it would approve pregnancy abortion while taking into account the girl's mental and medical situation.
