Cabinet approves Medical Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Bill

Union
Cabinet has approved the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill,
2020. The bill will amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.

It will be
introduced in the budget session of the Parliament. Union Minister Prakash
Javadekar said, for Medical termination of pregnancy, permission will be
needed, from two doctors and one of them must be a government doctor. The limit
of termination of pregnancy has been increased from 20 weeks to 24 weeks.

The Bill
proposes for requirement for opinion of one provider for termination of
pregnancy up to 20 weeks of gestation and introducing the requirement of
opinion of two providers for termination of pregnancy of 20-24 weeks of
gestation.

The Bill is
for expanding access of women to safe and legal abortion services on
therapeutic, eugenic, humanitarian or social grounds. The proposed amendments
is a step towards safety and well-being of the women and many women will be
benefitted by this.

Recently
several petitions were received by the Courts seeking permission for aborting
pregnancies at a gestational age beyond the present permissible limit on grounds
of foetal abnormalities or pregnancies due to sexual violence faced by women.

The proposed
increase in gestational age will ensure dignity, autonomy, confidentiality and
justice for women who need to terminate pregnancy.