Termination of 26-week pregnancy: SC seeks report from AIIMS medical board

Agencies

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought a report from the AIIMS medical board on whether the 26-week foetus of a married woman, who wants her pregnancy terminated medically on grounds of her ill health, is suffering from any abnormality.

The apex court took note of the submissions of the petitioner's counsel that the woman is undergoing treatment for post partum pscyhosis since October 10 last year.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud asked the medical board to apprise it about whether extending the pregnancy to its full term will get jeopardised by medicines which may be prescribed for the alleged condition from which the woman is stated to be suffering.

The bench said medical professionals at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) would be at liberty to carry out their own diagnosis with regard to the woman's medical condition and indicate their evaluation of her condition.

The bench was hearing arguments on the Centre's application seeking recall of the apex court's October 9 order permitting the 27-year-old woman, a mother of two, to undergo termination of pregnancy.