The high court on Monday allowed a 27-year-old woman to terminate a 23-week-old pregnancy following an appeal from her.
Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya of the high court asked MR Bangur Hospital to set up a committee of two gynaecologists and a paediatrician for the procedure, which has to be completed within 48 hours, the court said.
Pregnancy cannot be terminated between 22 and 24 weeks without an "order of a writ court", said the lawyer who appeared for the woman. So the woman had approached Calcutta High Court.
The woman had mentioned in her plea filed in the high court that she had learnt about her pregnancy earlier this month, Dey, the lawyer, told Metro.
The woman told the court that she got involved in a relationship with a man who had promised to marry her but later reneged on the promise.
“Earlier this month, my client underwent an ultrasonography and the test revealed that she was pregnant,” said Dey.
Based on a complaint lodged by the woman, the man was arrested. He is out on bail, Dey said.
The woman had last week filed a petition with an appeal to terminate the pregnancy.
“We had submitted that she was in the 23rd week of her pregnancy and the matter needed urgent hearing. The hearing was scheduled for Monday,” Dey said.
“The court on Monday allowed her to terminate the pregnancy. The court said the abortion has to be done at MR Bangur Hospital within 48 hours of the order. The hospital has to set up a committee of two gynaecologists and a paediatrician. The doctors will keep an eye on the woman’s health and submit a report to the court by February 2,” Dey said.
Subhash Chandra Biswas, the head of gynaecology and obstetrics at the Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (SSKM Hospital), said termination of a 23-year-old pregnancy should not cause any health issues.