Gujarat HC Seeks Medical Board Report After Minor Rape Survivor Seeks Pregnancy Termination At 26 Weeks
In her plea, the minor rape survivor, who is 26 weeks pregnant, has sought medical termination of pregnancy citing mental trauma.
Published : March 11, 2026 at 9:32 AM IST
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court has directed SSG Hospital's medical board to examine the condition of a minor girl, a rape survivor from Vadodara, who had filed a plea seeking permission for abortion at 26 weeks of pregnancy.
In her plea, the girl said that she does not want to carry on with the pregnancy and requested the court to allow the abortion considering her physical and mental health.
The plea further stated that the minor became pregnant after being raped and that the foetus is currently around 26 weeks old. Citing that continuing with the pregnancy is becoming a serious challenge for the minor girl's mental health, the plea sought permission from the court to allow medical termination of pregnancy.
During the hearing, the High Court ordered the medical board of Sir Sayajirao General (SSG) Hospital in Vadodara to immediately conduct a medical examination of the minor girl.
As per the court's order, a team of the medical board led by head of the Gynecology department will examine the medical condition of the minor girl on Wednesday (March 11).
As per sources, the board would examine the minor's physical condition, current condition of the foetus, and check whether there is any medical risk in carrying out the abortion. This apart, the board will also inform the court about the mental state of the minor.
The court has directed the board to submit a detailed report of the entire examination before it on Thursday (March 12). The report will also clearly mention the possible impact of abortion on the minor girl's health. Based on the report, the court will take a further decision considering the minor's health, safety and legal aspects.
Meanwhile, petitioner's lawyer Bhoumik Shah said that after the sexual assault, the girl is going through severe mental trauma and does not want the pregnancy.
It is pertinent to mention here that according to the law, abortion is generally allowed up to 20 weeks of pregnancy, while in special circumstances the court takes a decision after a longer period based on the opinion of medical board(s).
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