Orissa HC Allows Termination of Rape Survivor’s Pregnancy

The Orissa High Court on Wednesday permitted the medical termination of pregnancy of a rape survivor and directed that a DNA examination of the foetus be conducted to aid the criminal investigation. 

The order was passed while hearing a petition filed by the survivor, who told the court that the



pregnancy was the result of sexual assault and that continuing it would severely impact her physical and mental health

The court noted that the survivor was around 21 weeks and four days pregnant, a stage that ordinarily falls beyond the statutory limit prescribed under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act.