Which of the following statements is/are true with respect to the MTP (Amendment) Act, 2017 enacted by the GOI?
(A) A pregnancy may be terminated on certain considered grounds within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy on the opinion of two government registered medical practitioners.
(B) This act intends to reduce illegal abortions and consequent maternal mortality and morbidity.
(C) If the continuation of pregnancy involves a risk to the life of a pregnant woman, it can be terminated by the opinion of 3 government registered medical practitioners.
(D) If there is a substantial risk that the child born will be seriously handicapped, pregnancy can be terminated even if lasted for more than 12 weeks, but fewer than 24 weeks by the opinion of two government registered medical practitioners.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (B) and (D) only
(A) A pregnancy may be terminated on certain considered grounds within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy on the opinion of two government registered medical practitioners. — Incorrect. Up to 12 weeks, one registered medical practitioner is enough.
(B) This act intends to reduce illegal abortions and consequent maternal mortality and morbidity. — Correct. The Act aims at reducing illegal abortion and the deaths and illness it causes.
(C) If the continuation of pregnancy involves a risk to the life of a pregnant woman, it can be terminated by the opinion of 3 government registered medical practitioners. — Incorrect. The Act asks for two practitioners after 12 weeks, not three.
(D) If there is a substantial risk that the child born will be seriously handicapped, pregnancy can be terminated even if lasted for more than 12 weeks, but fewer than 24 weeks by the opinion of two government registered medical practitioners. — Correct. This is one of the grounds for ending a pregnancy between 12 and 24 weeks with two opinions.
NCERT Extract:
Population Stabilisation and Birth Control – “… The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2017 was enacted by the government of India with the intension of reducing the incidence of illegal abortion and consequent maternal mortality and morbidity. According to this Act, a pregnancy may be terminated on certain considered grounds within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy on the opinion of one registered medical practitioner. If the pregnancy has lasted more than 12 weeks, but fewer than 24 weeks, two registered medical practitioners must be of the opinion, formed in good faith, that the required ground exist. The grounds for such termination of pregnancies are: (i) The continuation of the pregnancy would involve a risk to the life of the pregnant woman or of grave injury physical or mental health; or (ii There is a substantial risk that of the child were born, it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.”