Chennai High Court allows termination of 31-week pregnancy, sparking national debate

A recent Chennai High Court ruling permitting the termination of a 31-week pregnancy has reignited national debate over a woman's reproductive autonomy, the condition of the foetus, the role of medical boards and the legal limits on abortion.

In a case brought by a woman named Pavitra Kumari, routine pregnancy scans detected a brain development abnormality in the foetus. Further neurosonography and foetal MRI examinations confirmed agenesis of the corpus callosum and bilateral ventriculomegaly. The medical assessment said children born with these conditions could suffer effects including delayed speech, learning difficulties and cognitive impairment.

Although the woman and her husband decided they did not wish to continue the pregnancy, the state medical board refused permission on the grounds that the abnormalities were not life-threatening. The couple then approached the court, and the High Court granted permission for the termination. The ruling has prompted fresh discussion of the week limits in abortion law.