Prenatal screening and medical termination of pregnancy

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1971 deals with legal and safe abortion services based on eugenic, therapeutic, social and humanitarian grounds and ensures that trained healthcare professionals supervise the procedure.¹

The MTP (Amendment) Act of 2021 permits both married and unmarried women to undergo termination of pregnancy up to the gestational period of 20 weeks in case of failure of contraceptive methods, and the opinion of a single Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) is necessary for the same. For pregnancies between 20 to 24 weeks of gestation, an opinion of two RMPs is required. For MTP indicated for fetal anomalies, the opinion of State level Medical Board is mandatory. The board should consist of a gynaecologist, a radiologist, a paediatrician and any other member as notified by the State Government. The Act permits MTP beyond 24 weeks of gestation on the grounds of substantial fetal anomalies as determined by the Medical Board.² The MTP (Amendment) Act of 2022 permits abortion up to the gestational age of 24 weeks, irrespective of the woman's marital status.¹

A situation may arise when severe fetal anomalies are diagnosed after 24 weeks of gestation, and the woman does not want to continue the pregnancy. In such situations, the clinician must approach the medical board constituted for this purpose. The board will have to refer to the list of serious fetal anomalies published by the government for this purpose and, after thorough discussion, may allow termination of pregnancy.³

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1971 deals with legal and safe abortion services based on eugenic, therapeutic, social and humanitarian grounds and ensures that trained healthcare professionals supervise the procedure.

The MTP (Amendment) Act of 2021 permits both married and unmarried women to undergo termination of pregnancy up to the gestational period of 20 weeks in case of failure of contraceptive methods, and the opinion of a single Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) is necessary for the same. For pregnancies between 20 to 24 weeks of gestation, an opinion of two RMPs is required. For MTP indicated for fetal anomalies, the opinion of State level Medical Board is mandatory. The board should consist of a gynaecologist, a radiologist, a paediatrician and any other member as notified by the State Government. The Act permits MTP beyond 24 weeks of gestation on the grounds of substantial fetal anomalies as determined by the Medical Board.² The MTP (Amendment) Act of 2022 permits abortion up to the gestational age of 24 weeks, irrespective of the woman's marital status^.

A situation may arise when severe fetal anomalies are diagnosed after 24 weeks of gestation, and the woman does not want to continue the pregnancy. In such situations, the clinician must approach the medical board constituted for this purpose. The board will have to refer to the list of serious fetal anomalies published by the government for this purpose and, after thorough discussion, may allow termination of pregnancy.