ISSN: 2265-6294

Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971: Its Emerging Dimensions and Brief Analysis

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Tanya Sharma, Priya Jain

Abstract

The right to an abortion is one of the most crucial aspects of reproductive justice and freedom. Advocates on all sides of the abortion debate have faced moral conundrums for millennia as they discuss the legalization and regulation of the procedure. It makes sense that India, a growing country with a diverse range of cultures, customs, socio-economic backgrounds, and religious views, would be battling this issue. Nonetheless, India has taken a firm stand on abortion since the 1970s. Since 1971, medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) has been permitted in India, preserving women's reproductive rights, personal independence, and the value of their health. These women experienced significant distress since they could not legally terminate a pregnancy after 20 weeks of gestation, which underscored the need to raise the maximum time frame for such terminations. Simultaneously, there has been an increase in global consciousness regarding women's autonomy over their own bodies. The MTP Bill, 2020, has been a welcome breath of fresh air as it eliminates the cap on abortions in the event of a serious fetal abnormality and extends the length limit for legal abortions to 24 weeks for specific groups of women. The President of India and Parliament just accepted the revisions, and as of March 25, 2021, they are now enforceable.

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