Supreme Court today has given a landmark judgement when it allowed an alleged rape survivor to terminate her 24-week pregnancy due to an abnormal foetus. A rape survivor had earlier appealed to the court saying there was an abnormal growth in the fetus and that she wanted to terminate her 24-week-old pregnancy. Citing the report submitted by a Mumbai-based hospital's medical board, the apex court said the continuance of pregnancy would gravely endanger the life of the mother. The apex court had on earlier on Friday asked Mumbai's King Edward Memorial Hospital to set up a medical board in 24 hours and examine the feasibility of aborting the "highly abnormal" fetus. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the Centre clarified to the apex court that the current ceiling of 20 weeks under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 does not apply if there is a danger to the life of the mother. Rohatgi further argued that the ceiling has been put to avoid the misuse of foeticide.

The woman challenged the validity of Section 3(2) (b) of the Act, which imposes the 20-week restriction. She said she was informed about the abnormality of the fetus after 20 weeks. And because of the law, no hospital was ready to carry out an abortion, which has caused her extreme mental and physical trauma, she said.