After getting permission for abortion after 31 weeks, the big question is, after how long is it impossible to get abortion done?

Recently the Supreme Court gave an important decision regarding the permission of abortion. In this decision, the court allowed termination of pregnancy at 31 weeks. In a significant decision, the Supreme Court allowed a 15-year-old minor girl to medically terminate her unwanted pregnancy which had reached 31 weeks, almost seven months.

While delivering this judgement, Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Ujjwal said that the court should not force any woman, especially a minor, to complete her pregnancy against her will. The court directed that this procedure should be done at AIIMS, Delhi and all necessary precautions should be followed.

Abortion approved after 31 weeks
It may be surprising to know that the girl had attempted suicide twice in connection with this case. A matter which the court took very seriously. The court directed that this procedure should be completed at AIIMS, New Delhi by following all necessary medical precautions.

Pregnancy among teenage girls is a very challenging situation. This is not just a medical issue. The body of a 15 year old girl may be fully developed, but pregnancy at this age often causes complications like anemia, high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia. Furthermore, it also imposes a significant psychological burden.

What are the risks?
After this decision, people are also raising questions regarding the complexity of abortion at 31 weeks. While normal abortions are usually performed at 20–24 weeks, terminating a pregnancy at 31 weeks is no longer a routine abortion procedure.

At this advanced stage the process is much like a normal delivery. Doctors initiate labor using medicines. Medical experts say that in big hospitals like AIIMS, experienced medical teams take every precaution to ensure that the young patient does not face any unnecessary risk. By 31 weeks the fetus is developed to a great extent.

In some cases, the baby may even be born alive at this stage, provided he gets proper care in the NICU. Therefore, this decision is not only medical but also morally very complicated. In this particular case, the court gave utmost importance to the mental and physical well-being of the girl.

Will the law change?
Will there be any change in the law after this decision? The answer is that after 24 weeks, this procedure can be done only with the approval of the court and only on serious grounds. This decision will not apply to every case. The medical report will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, considering the specific condition of the girl and the associated risks.