Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act

Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act: The Indian Medical Association (IMA), while lauded the Haryana’s initiative to register all pregnant women mandatory during their first trimester. However, it has also highlighted that it contradicts the existing Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act which establishes a woman’s reproductive rights as solely her own. 

• About MTP Act: It was introduced to liberalise access to abortion since the restrictive criminal provision (in the IPC) was leading to women using unsafe and dangerous methods for termination of pregnancy.
• Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act (MTPAA) 2021: It allows unmarried women to also terminate a pregnancy for this reason, increased the upper gestation limit from 20 to 24 weeks for special categories of women (Survivors of sexual assault or rape or incest; Minors; etc.).

o Medical Boards: All state and UT governments will constitute a Medical Board, to decide if a pregnancy may be terminated after 24 weeks.

o Section 5A of the MTP Act (amended in 2021) ensures confidentiality by prohibiting the disclosure of names and particulars of women undergoing abortion, except to authorised persons.