Medical test of woman seeking termination of abnormal foetus underway: AIIMS to Delhi HC

The medical examination of a 32-year-old woman seeking termination of a 27-week abnormal pregnancy is being carried out, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) informed a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court on Monday.

Through an interim report, AIIMS informed Justice Pratibha M. Singh that the petitioner woman was examined and more exams are being conducted.

After noting down the submissions, the judge directed it (AIIMS) to file a final report and scheduled the next hearing for March 7.

Last week, the court had directed it to constitute a medical board to examine the petitioner whose foetus is suffering from cardiac abnormality.

The woman seeks termination of pregnancy after some abnormality was detected in the foetus via ultrasound.

"Considering the nature of abnormality let the AIIMS constitute a medical board," the bench had said.

The court had referred the case to a foetal medicine expert after noting the ultrasound result dated February 17.

On February 25, a cardiac abnormality was found and the court perused the report.

It is the petitioner's case seeking HC's intervention in passing directions to conduct medical termination of her pregnancy under Section 3(2B), Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 (as amended by the MTP Amendment Act, 2021).