No, abortion is not banned in India. On paper, though, India is actually among the most progressive nations out there in this matter. But there are a few limitations to this whole abortion thing as per the MTP Act and its modification.
What Exactly Is the MTP Act?
Many of you might not know this, but abortion in India was illegal before 1971 and was considered a criminal offence under the Indian Penal Code with the exception of the case where it was performed to save the mother’s life only. That was really quite a strict one.
After that, in 1971, the MTP Act was established by the Indian Government, which allowed abortion under a few conditions for the sake of women’s rights and health.
The legislation was changed a second time in 2021 to reflect the more progressive stance. This modification to the law actually elaborated more on what abortion access basically meant, and that’s how it covered those groups of women who were really in need of this procedure.
So yes, no doubt, on paper, India actually has one of the more progressive abortion laws in the world.
How Do the Time Limits Work?
Well, the thing is, according to the MTP Act, the concept of pregnancy is separated into three different stages, and each stage is governed by specific regulations.
Up to 20 weeks:
In order to get an abortion, only one registered medical practitioner is necessary to approve and carry it out. It is a very simple process.
Between 20 and 24 weeks:
First of all, two registered medical practitioners are required to give their consent to the necessity of the termination of pregnancy. There is no exception to that. Other than that though, it restricts situations where the mother-to-be will be exposed to fatal danger or the unborn child is in serious trouble.
After 24 weeks:
Only in exceptional cases are abortions allowed after 24 weeks, and that happens very rarely in India. The confirmation of a serious fetal abnormality or a significant health risk for the mother must come from a Medical Board, established by the government, which is a group of qualified doctors.
Santosh Kumar is a Professional SEO and Blogger, With the help of this blog he is trying to share top 10 lists, facts, entertainment news from India and all around the world.
