The Bombay High Court has granted permission for a Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) for a 15-year-old girl following a report from JJ Hospital, which raised concerns about the potential adverse effects on her mental well-being if the pregnancy continued.
Representing the minor, Advocate Manisha Jagtap informed the court that the girl, who had recently completed her 10th-grade exams and enrolled in a junior college, is focused on pursuing her education.
The teenage girl, a resident of Mumbai, initially kept her pregnancy secret from her working parents. Her mother, noticing her health issues and missed menstrual cycle, took her to a doctor who initially diagnosed her with acidity. Subsequent tests confirmed her pregnancy.
The girl disclosed to her mother that a friend of her brother had engaged in physical relations with her, leading to the pregnancy. By the time the pregnancy was discovered, she had surpassed 27.4 weeks, necessitating approval from the High Court for termination.
A medical panel was formed to assess the girl’s condition. Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Sandesh Patil highlighted the doctors’ concerns about potential health risks in the third trimester due to her small stature and psychological state, recommending MTP to avert severe mental health repercussions.
As the accused individual faces charges of sexual assault, the court instructed JJ Hospital to preserve tissue/DNA samples of the fetus post-delivery and provide them to the investigating officer for the criminal proceedings. Additionally, the bench urged the State Government to expedite the disbursement of compensation to the girl under the ‘Manodhairya Scheme.’
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