Malathy Iyer, Swati Deshpande | The Times of India | Mumbai | 2 August 2008
Niketa Mehta has forced us to take a fresh look at the 37-yearold rules that control abortion by going to the Bombay High Court, pleading for a medical termination of pregnancy after the 20th week. But informed medical opinion has it that she may have put herself at some risk in the process.
Harsh and Niketa’s petition, filed on 22 July, said she had been carrying the foetus for about 24 weeks at that time. Eleven days have passed since then, which means she is well into the 25th week of pregnancy now, as the court waits for a clearer report from the J J Hospital panel of doctors.
Gynaecologists say Niketa faces some risks to her physical well-being even if she has her way in court (if the judges decide that she may go in for medical termination of pregnancy to abort the baby that may carry a serious cardiac condition lifelong).
“A medical termination of pregnancy after 25-26 weeks is not advisable for the woman’s sake,” a senior city gynaecologist said on Friday. “There may be severe complications ,” he added.