Abortion laws in India: What changes did 2021 Amendment brought

13 Oct 2023
Kakoli Nath

In a country as diverse as India, the conversation around abortion or medical termination of pregnancy isn't just about laws; it's a deeply personal and medical choice. India's abortion laws have evolved significantly over the years. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act of 1971 was a crucial milestone, decriminalizing abortion in specific circumstances.

The recent 2021 amendment to this 1971 Act expanded access to safe and legal abortions, reflecting a commitment to comprehensive care allowing married women to terminate pregnancies up to 20 weeks with a single RMP's approval. Whereas termination of pregnancies between 20-24 weeks of gestation requires opinion of 2 RMP's. Now, what about medical termination beyond 24 weeks, is it allowed? Because at this stage, the status of the fetus is critical.

Continued: https://blog.finology.in/Legal-news/abortion-laws-in-india

13.10.2023

Medical Termination Of Pregnancy (MTP) Act

Medical Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Act

MTP Act

Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act

Explained: Abortion laws in India

India has a central law called The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, which permits licensed medical professionals to perform abortions in specific predetermined situations

By Utkarsh Anand
Oct 12, 2023

The sharp divergence of opinion by two women Supreme Court judges on a married woman’s plea to abort her 26-week foetus has sparked off a serious debate on women’s reproductive rights and decisional autonomy.

The split verdict came on Wednesday, virtually putting on hold the court’s October 9 order, allowing the termination of the advanced pregnancy citing vulnerable physical and psychological health of the 27-year-old mother of two.

Continued: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/explained-abortion-laws-in-india-101697097757306.html

Making Legal Abortion Accessible in India

Rural healthcare workers in India are fighting to overcome stigma and systemic shortcomings to help patients.

BY SANKET JAIN
AUG 28, 2023

When Kiran Kumbhar (name changed for safety reasons) was pregnant with her first child, she experienced severe complications that almost took her life. And the debilitating symptoms have continued in the years since: weakness and dizziness, weight gain, and delays of as long as six months between periods. For years she tried to ignore the health ailments, but things got so bad that she eventually sought medical care. She was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, which limits the secretion of necessary hormones that control how a body uses energy, and polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD), in which enlarged ovaries secrete hormones that cause health issues.

Then, 15 years after giving birth to her son, she found herself pregnant again. She faced insults and name-calling daily because of her age and the long gap since her first baby. Both are considered shameful by those who carry conservative beliefs in India.

Continued: https://www.yesmagazine.org/health-happiness/2023/08/28/india-legal-abortion-access

India – Reason behind each abortion must be provided: Collector

May 29, 2023

Kolhapur: District collector Rahul Rekhawar has instructed the health authorities to ensure that every pregnant woman is registered with the relevant authorities agencies, and that any woman undergoing an abortion after the first trimester must provide the reason for the same to the heath officials.

The move, said officials, is a bid to ensure the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, given that cases of abortion have reportedly been on the rise across Kolhapur district in recent years.

Continued: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolhapur/reason-behind-each-abortion-must-be-provided-collector/articleshow/100579927.cms

29.05.2023

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Geeta Hasurkar

Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act

registry of pregnant women

sex selection

sex selection abortion

Asia

India

Law

India – Telangana: 18 held for illegal sex determination tests, abortion

The team also seized sex-determination scanning machines, Rs 73,000 in cash, and 18 cell phones.

Posted by Masrath Fatima
Published: 29th May 2023

Hyderabad: Eighteen members of a gang involved in carrying out illegal pre-natal sex determination tests as well as conducting 100 unauthorized abortions were nabbed in a joint operation in Warangal district on Monday.

The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), Task Force police, Kakatiya University Campus (KUC), and the medical and health department teamed up and arrested the 18 accused. However, two people managed to escape.

Continued: https://www.siasat.com/telangana-18-held-for-illegal-sex-determination-tests-abortion-2601469/

29.05.2023

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Anti-Human Trafficking Unit

Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act

sex selection

sex selection abortion

Checking the blind spots in India’s abortion ruling

17 December 2022
Authors: Niharika Rustagi and Kaushambi Bagchi, NUS

Sexual and reproductive health rights are crucial to women’s bodily autonomy and empowerment. But women from many countries are not guaranteed these fundamental rights. Landmark rulings in several countries have paved the way for access to abortion services, maternal healthcare and assisted reproduction, including in countries with restrictive reproductive rights laws.

In India, legal reforms related to reproductive rights have been in progress for some time. In 2021, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act 1971, which had previously restricted safe and legal abortions to married women, was amended to include unmarried women. On 29 September 2022, the Supreme Court of India passed a judgement that guaranteed all women, regardless of their marital status, the right to undergo abortions up to 24 weeks into their pregnancy up from 21 weeks.

Continued: https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2022/12/17/checking-the-blind-spots-in-indias-abortion-ruling/

When People Don’t Say ‘Abortion’: How News Media Shapes Public Perception

Representation in the media can make or break the fight for safe abortions. Here’s how to do it right.

ANOUSHKA RAJESH
28 Sep 2022

“Where I am from, people don’t even say the word 'abortion'," says Meenakshi Saxena, who works with the Foundation for Reproductive Health Services India. She goes on to explain how instead they use 'MTP' as a verb.

MTP refers to the celebrated Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, the law that protects abortion rights in India.

Continued: https://www.thequint.com/fit/her-health/international-safe-abortion-day-news-media-public-perception-guidelines

US court strikes down right to abortion; what’s the scene in India?

Indian law permits abortion up to 20 weeks of pregnancy and up to 24 weeks in special cases. However, unsafe abortions are the third leading cause of maternal mortality in India, and close to eight women die from causes related to unsafe abortions every day, according to a UN agency report

SUMI SUKANYA DUTTA
JUNE 28, 2022

On June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned its landmark 1973 judgment in the Roe Vs Wade case that had made abortion a constitutional right in the country.

The decision, which led to a furore, is slated to have a major impact on the lives of American women, with possibly a near-total ban on abortion in roughly half of the country’s 50 states.

Continued: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/trends/health-trends/analysis-i-us-court-strikes-down-right-to-abortion-whats-the-scene-in-india-8748251.html

India – Woman Forced To Undergo Abortion 8 Times and Given Steroids For Conceiving Male Child

DIPANWITA
Updated On August 17, 2021

Forced abortion: A 40-year-old woman from Dadar, Mumbai was forced by her husband to abort her foetus eight times because he of his preference for a male child.

The woman has now filed a complaint with the police. In her complaint, the woman said that her husband started to abuse her physically, saying that he wanted a son to protect his family and property. They reportedly got married in 2017. The woman’s husband and mother-in-law are reportedly lawyers and her sister-in-law is a doctor.

Continued: https://www.shethepeople.tv/news/mumbai-woman-underwent-forced-abortion/

17.08.2021

News

forced abortion

Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act

reproductive coercion

Abortion in Case of Unmarried Women in India – Everything That You Need To Know

The choice for abortion is not 'equal' for all women in India; the unmarried ones bear the maximum brunt.

FRIDAY, JULY 09

"I was 21 and unmarried when I conceived my first child. My partner was not ready for marriage yet, and I was not ready to abort my child. I had no means to sustain our (me and my baby) lives. My parents rushed me to the nearby doctor and wanted me to say that I wanted the abortion. I had no say in making probably what was the biggest decision of my life. I did not know what to do, who to approach. I wish I knew how to stand for myself," says Urmila (name changed).

Very little is known or discussed on young Indian women who seek medical termination of pregnancy for unintended pregnancy. What is appalling is that not many women themselves know much about their legal rights or safety concerns regarding abortion.

Continued: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/abortion-case-unmarried-women-india-everything-you-need-know-152027