The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act 1971 Under Sec 3 pregnancy may be terminated by a registered medical practitioner (RMP) if a pregnancy does not exceed 12 weeks. If the pregnancy is 12-20 weeks old opinion of 2 RMPs is required (unless it is of immediate risk). Under Sec 4, MTPs can be performed only in a place or hospital approved by Govt. For this, records have to be kept secret and cannot be revealed to any source. An MTP can be performed only, if continuing the pregnancy entails risk to the life of the pregnant woman or grave injury to her physical or mental health (this could be in the cases of rape, failure of contraception in married women) or if the child is likely to be handicapped. The MTP can be performed only if the woman gives consent.
Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of misuses) Amendment Act 2002: The Act is to regulate the various types of Pre-natal diagnostic techniques like Ultra scan prescribes penalties for the doctor in case he/she reveals the sex of the fetus to the would-be-mother or her relatives. “Pre-Natal Diagnostic Test” means Ultra sonography or any test or analysis of amniotic fluid, chronic villa blood or any tissue or fluid of a pregnant woman or conceptus conducted to detect genetic or metabolic disorders or chromosomal abnormalities or congenital anomalies or Hemoglobin – apathies or sex linked diseases.
As per Section 5 ‘No person including the person conducting pre-natal diagnostic procedures shall communicate to the pregnant women concerned or her relatives or any other person the sex of the fetus by words, signs or in any other manner’.
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