Bombay high court allows Nashik woman to terminate 30-week pregnancy

The Bombay High Court on Friday allowed a 33-year-old woman from Nashik to end her 30-week pregnancy.

The woman had told the court that the medical reports of the foetus showed that it had developed schizencephaly — morbid condition incompatible with normal life often resulting in complete disability.

A woman from Nashik had approached the Bombay High Court seeking permission to terminate her 30-week pregnancy, saying that a test has revealed that the foetus has a rare developmental birth defect.

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The 33-year-old woman had a five-year-old son diagnosed with Down Syndrome. She and her husband had approached the High Court saying that they are already caring for a child with an intellectual disability, and forcing them to continue with the pregnancy would cause them physical and emotional trauma.

In their plea, filed through advocate Kuldeep Nikam last week, they said another child with special needs would be a financial burden since the woman is a homemaker and the man runs a small business.

The doctors of JJ hospital examined the woman and approved abortion at this stage due to a birth defect of the foetus.

The division bench of the court, comprising Justice AS Gadkari and Justice AS Oka said, "As there is a substantial risk of physical abnormalities to the fetus, it is necessary to terminate the pregnancy of the petitioner."

Advocate Kuldeep Nikam, the woman's lawyer, told the court that his client should be allowed to undergo the abortion in a private clinic in Nashik, as the doctors there are well aware of her case history. This, too, was approved by the court.

(With inputs from ANI)