Abortion: Right to Reproductive Health
The approximate count of abortions taking place annually in India is about 15.6 million of which maximum are unsafe and end in maternal mortality or morbidities. This situation is attributable to lack of awareness regarding established legal courses of action. Before the 1971 legislation regarding Medical Termination of Pregnancy came into being, every kind of abortion was considered to be a crime under section 312 to 316 of the Indian Penal Code as intentional miscarriage. Considering legitimate exceptions, abortion has taken a legal recourse albeit societal stigma still prevails. Though the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 2021 is comprehensive and has bolstered abortion rights in India, still there is a lacuna in the medical care services. This research paper aims at the analytical study of abortion laws in India and postulate suggestions for the refinement of the law to strengthen women’s right to reproductive health.
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