The recent US Supreme Court ruling that ended constitutional protection for abortions has stirred a worldwide debate, with a majority terming the decision regressive. Last year, an amendment to the act expanded women’s access to safe abortion from 20-24 weeks of gestation. Women’s health consultants note the negative mindset and lack of clarity on laws push girls to go for unsafe abortions. In an international organization Population Fund study, sixty-seven percent of abortions in India were found to be unsafe and caused nearly eight deaths each day.

It′s high time the Centre or the Kerala government provides additional clarity and correct tips, so that the hospitals adhere to the laws, say women’s rights activists. “Even the govt Medical Hospital doesnt offer abortion stated activist-lawyer J Sandhya. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, passed in 1971, allowed registered medical practitioners to perform abortions up to twenty weeks of gestation. In the 2021 amendment, the period was extended to twenty-four weeks and allowed abortions after 24 weeks, if any substantial fetal abnormality was identified. A second doctor’s opinion is necessary to terminate pregnancies between twenty and twenty-four weeks added the activist. 

“As per the rule, abortion is administrated if: the physiological condition poses a risk to the lifetime of the girl or affects her mentally; If the kid would suffer from any physical or mental abnormalities; if the pregnancy is caused by failure of contraception methods; the pregnancy is caused by rape,” explains medical specialist and author Dr. Khadija Mumtaz. Following the 2021 amendment, these rights were extended to unmarried women, too. “Women aged eighteen or above can approach a medical specialist for abortion. In cases of married women, spousal consent isn′t necessary. Similarly, if you′re unmarried, parental consent is not needed. Several doctors ask for signed consent because of their lack of awareness of the law, or because they keep their personal beliefs over norms. Consent is required solely in cases wherever the patient could be a minor or mentally challenged.