Kerala HC permits termination of over 31-week-old foetus with severe abnormalities
Kochi: The Kerala High Court has permitted the medical termination of a foetus over 31-week-old, diagnosed with congenital abnormalities of the brain and head. The court directed Kottayam Medical College to take immediate measures to constitute a medical team to carry out the procedure.
The petitioner, who is 31 weeks pregnant, approached the High Court seeking permission to terminate her pregnancy, as the foetus has congenital abnormalities of the brain and head, including features suggestive of microcephaly, carrying a high likelihood of serious and lifelong physical and neurological disability.
Justice Shoba Annamma Eapen allowed termination of the pregnancy on the basis of a medical board report, which opined that if the baby is born, it would suffer from serious physical abnormalities. The board had also opined that continuation of the pregnancy was likely to be associated with risk to her mental health.
The court, after considering the facts, materials on record, the settled principles of law on the subject and the recommendations of the medical board, was of the view that denying termination "may only delay the inevitable and extend the suffering of the family", news agency PTI reported.
Consequently, the court directed the Kottayam Medical College to terminate the pregnancy. The court directed the medical college to take immediate measures to constitute a medical team to conduct the procedure.
"The medical team shall, in their discretion and best judgment, adopt the best procedure recommended in the medical science to terminate the pregnancy and save the life of the first petitioner (woman)," it said.
It is directed that before carrying out the medical termination of pregnancy, the team shall reconfirm the foetal abnormalities by performing a final scan.
The court further said that if the foetus is born alive, "The hospital shall render all the necessary assistance, including incubation and treatment at any super-speciality, to ensure that the foetus survives", reports PTI.
"The baby shall be offered the best medical treatment and the petitioners (husband and wife) shall take full responsibility and bear the expenses for the baby," it added.
The petitioners had contended that the foetus suffers from congenital abnormalities of the brain and head, including features suggestive of microcephaly, carrying a high likelihood of serious and lifelong physical and neurological disability.
