SC allows 15-year-old to end 7-month pregnancy, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court permitted a 15-year-old to terminate her seven-month pregnancy, upholding a woman's reproductive autonomy.
• The decision was made by a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan, emphasizing the pregnant woman's choice.
• The Solicitor General Tushar Mehta cited medical reports indicating threats to the girl's and foetus's lives due to the advanced pregnancy stage.
• The court stated that forcing a minor to continue an unwanted pregnancy could inflict grave mental, emotional, and physical trauma.

Detailed Insights:

• The Supreme Court reiterated that no woman can be forced to continue an unwanted pregnancy, even with the option of giving the child up for adoption after birth.
• The court emphasized that the right to make decisions concerning one’s body, especially in matters of reproduction, is an integral part of personal liberty and privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution.
• The decision acknowledges that compelling a minor to carry a pregnancy to full term against her will can have a lasting adverse impact on her development.
• The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act sets statutory limits for abortions, which the girl's pregnancy had exceeded, necessitating the court's intervention.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Reproductive Autonomy: The right of individuals to make free and informed decisions about their reproductive health and choices.
• Article 21: A fundamental right in the Indian Constitution that guarantees the right to life and personal liberty.
• Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act: Indian law that provides the legal framework for abortion under certain conditions.