The Bombay High Court on September 3 permitted a minor rape victim to undergo medical termination of pregnancy, observing that not aborting the foetus now would adversely impact her mental health.

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Though the girl, a Class 10 student, is pregnant beyond 20 weeks, a bench led by the Justice, held that such pregnancy would adversely impact her mental health. Hence, the bench permitted her to undergo medical termination of the pregnancy at the government-run JJ Hospital in Mumbai on September 5.

The MTP Act permits medical termination of pregnancy with the consent of one or more doctors within 20 weeks of such pregnancy. One can terminate a pregnancy beyond 20 weeks only if courts conclude that the pregnancy poses a threat to the life or health of the mother or the child.