The Kerala High Court on Friday, May 19, gave permission to a 15-year-old girl, who was raped by her brother, to medically terminate her seven-month-old pregnancy. The court gave the nod after looking into the medical report submitted by the medical board. A single bench of Justice Ziyad Rahman was hearing a petition filed by the girl’s father seeking directions to medically terminate the pregnancy.

"Considering the fact, the child is born from his own sibling, various social and medical complications are likely to arise. In such circumstances, the permission as sought for by the petitioner to terminate the pregnancy is inevitable. However, even while addressing the said issue and passing appropriate orders in this regard, the possibility of giving birth to a live baby cannot be overruled, as highlighted by the Medical Board. In such circumstances, I am inclined to allow medical termination of pregnancy of the daughter of the petitioner," the court order said.

The medical board opined that the continuation of pregnancy is likely to cause grave injury to the social and mental health of the girl and her physical health is likely to be affected by the complications of teenage pregnancy. It, therefore, submitted the medical report stating that the minor girl is physically and mentally fit for medical termination of pregnancy (MTP).

Thereafter, the court directed the medical authorities concerned to take urgent steps to terminate the pregnancy of the girl.