Read the following statements about medical termination of pregnancy (MTP):
(i) MTPs are considered relatively safe during the first trimester.
(ii) Intentional or voluntary termination of pregnancy before full term is called spontaneous abortion.
(iii) A majority of the MTPs are performed illegally by unqualified quacks; these are unsafe but cannot be fatal.
(iv) In India, restrictions on MTP are important to check indiscriminate and illegal female foeticides.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (i) and (iv) only
MTP, or induced abortion, is legal in India only under strict conditions. It is safest early in pregnancy, and illegal MTPs carry great risk.
(i) MTPs are considered relatively safe during the first trimester. — True. The first trimester is up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. Second trimester abortions are much more risky.
(ii) Intentional or voluntary termination of pregnancy before full term is called spontaneous abortion. — False. It is called MTP or induced abortion. A spontaneous abortion happens on its own, without any intention.
(iii) A majority of the MTPs are performed illegally by unqualified quacks; these are unsafe but cannot be fatal. — False. The first part is true, but NCERT says such MTPs are not only unsafe but could be fatal too.
(iv) In India, restrictions on MTP are important to check indiscriminate and illegal female foeticides. — True. Female foeticides are reported to be high in India, so the strict conditions are all the more important.
So (i) and (iv) are correct.
NCERT Extract:
Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) – “Intentional or voluntary termination of pregnancy before full term is called medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) or induced abortion. … Government of India legalised MTP in 1971 with some strict conditions to avoid its misuse. Such restrictions are all the more important to check indiscriminate and illegal female foeticides which are reported to be high in India.”
Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) – “… MTPs are considered relatively safe during the first trimester, i.e., upto 12 weeks of pregnancy. Second trimester abortions are much more riskier. One disturbing trend observed is that a majority of the MTPs are performed illegally by unqualified quacks which are not only unsafe but could be fatal too.”