Delhi High Court Denies Termination of 28-Week Pregnancy for Unmarried Woman

The Delhi High Court presided over by Justice Subramonium Prasad, has declined a plea from a 20-year-old unmarried woman seeking to terminate her 28-week pregnancy. The decision came after the court had reserved its verdict on the petition last week, with Justice Prasad firmly stating that a “completely viable foetus” of 28 weeks would not be allowed to be aborted in the absence of any detected abnormality. The judge emphasized the impermissibility of foeticide under the circumstances presented.

In her petition, the woman disclosed that she became pregnant as a result of a consensual relationship, only discovering her pregnancy at a significantly advanced stage. Upon seeking medical advice, she was informed that the gestation period had exceeded the legal limit for termination under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, which prompted her to approach the high court for permission to undergo the procedure.

Represented by Advocate Amit Mishra, the woman’s plea highlighted her late discovery of the pregnancy and the social and personal challenges she faced, being unmarried and without the knowledge of her family regarding her condition. The legal team requested the court to consider her mental and physical well-being, along with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) examination. Still, the court ultimately ruled against allowing the termination.

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