Published Paper Details:

Abstract: This study has been undertaken to comprehend the lacunae in the current Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 which has arisen the need for the amendment in the present Act. The Act of 1971 though progressive at the time of its enactment is now an old restrictive law which has rendered lakhs of women in India resorting to alternative option of abortion which are not safe. It is about time now that restrictive abortion laws are liberalized paralleling societal changes. Changes in the Act of 1971 were proposed through the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2014. The Amendment bill proposes to extend the abortion period upto 20th week of pregnancy thereby providing wider window for detection of any congenital disease or abnormality in the fetus along with a series of other revisions in the Act of 1971. The Amendment Bill still has not yet been passed by the Cabinet even after dire need of it.