In late-term abortion cases, a contentious issue that emerges is the mode of termination, which involves preterm birth.

5 min read May 14, 2026 04:34 PM IST First published on: May 14, 2026 at 04:29 PM IST

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971, which was most recently amended in 2021, expanded the permissibility of abortions from 20 weeks up to 24 weeks of gestation. Beyond this limit, petitioners have approached the courts for permission and in many instances medical boards and doctors have opposed the requests. In two notable cases this year, the Supreme Court (SC) has permitted abortion beyond 24 weeks with explicit observations upholding women’s reproductive autonomy.…