Madras High Court allows termination of a 24-week pregnancy, holding the mother decides whether to bring a child into the world

26 October 2026

The Madras High Court permitted the medical termination of a 24-week pregnancy after foetal abnormalities were diagnosed. The Court held that where the child would not be able to lead a normal life, the mother has the right to decide whether to bring the child into the world, and that a court must protect a woman's reproductive autonomy. Terminations in India are governed by the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. The 2021 amendment to that Act raised the outer limit to 24 weeks for specified categories of women, and allows termination beyond that limit where a Medical Board diagnoses substantial foetal abnormalities.