On Monday, the Delhi High Court asked for a suggestion from an expert body of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) regarding whether the fact of medical termination of a 28-week pregnancy due to certain abnormalities in the fetus should be allowed.

A 33-year old woman had filed a petition in the court to undergo medical termination of pregnancy due to the abnormalities of the heart in the fetus. Justice Anu Malhotra said that it was not a matter of termination of pregnancy but whether it should be done or not. An initial medical report indicated the fetus was alive and may need medical care after being removed from the uterus at this stage. AIIMS reported that the fetus was having a heartbeat and the child would be born alive in case of medical termination of pregnancy. However, the Counsel for AIIMS said that the institute would comply with whatever orders are passed in the case.

Justice Malhotra said that it was clear, that the child was alive and on removing from the uterus it would continue to be there and might need care and immediate attention and if unattended it could die, but could a court allow such a thing to happen. The court said that it shared AIIMS’ concern for the fetus being born with life and on December 22 and had asked AIIMS to set up a medical board for the examination of the woman.

Source: ET Healthworld