Teen tells HC she will continue pregnancy after medical report finds no foetal anomaly

Mumbai, Oct 13 (PTI) A 16-year-old girl has informed the Bombay High Court that she would continue her pregnancy till full term after medical reports said there was no foetal anomaly.

The teen had filed a plea in the court through her father seeking to terminate her 27-week pregnancy, which was the result of a relationship she was in.

A medical board of the state-run JJ Hospital examined the girl and submitted to the court in its report that there was no foetal anomaly or grave risk to the girl's physical or mental health due to the pregnancy.

However, continuation of the pregnancy may cause social anguish to the girl, as she was unmarried, the report stated.

The court could take its decision on whether or not to permit termination of the pregnancy, it said.

A bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Sandesh Patil on October 10 interacted with the girl and apprised her of the medical report.

The girl then told the court that she was ready to wait for a full-term delivery but sought to be shifted to a shelter home until then.

The bench directed that the girl be kept in a shelter home in suburban Mumbai and ordered that a lady constable from the concerned police station take her to the hospital for check-ups once a week. PTI SP ARU