The Kerala High Court has declined the request for the medical termination of a 30-week pregnancy involving a 14-year-old girl, citing the advanced stage of pregnancy. Justice Devan Ramachandran dismissed the plea filed by the girl’s mother, emphasizing that the victim child’s health was not at immediate risk, and no lethal foetal abnormalities were detected. The mother sought termination on the grounds of her daughter’s rape, with the accused in custody under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The court acknowledged the statutory rape nature of the incident but noted the advanced stage of pregnancy, stating that vital organs were almost fully developed.
Despite expressing empathy for the family’s situation, the judge asserted that termination at this stage was impossible and untenable. The medical report indicated 30 weeks of gestation with a viable foetal heart, making termination unfeasible. The court stressed that the baby could only be delivered through a caesarean section, ensuring a prognosis of a good life. While underscoring the need for legal protection for the mother and her minor daughter, the court directed the Child Protection Officer to offer regular support for the pregnancy’s continuation and eventual delivery.
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