Chandigarh: 10-yr-old rape survivor is 30 weeks pregnant, docs to perform natural delivery

Doctors of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, plan to go ahead with a natural delivery as per protocol, lest the need for C- section arises.

A day after a local court denied permission to a 10-year-old rape survivor to medically terminate her pregnancy, it emerged that the girl is not six months, but 30 weeks pregnant.

(HT Representative Image)

Doctors of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, plan to go ahead with a natural delivery as per protocol, lest the need for C- section arises.

Sources at the hospital told HT that they were planning to take up the matter regarding the unborn child for adoption with the Missionary Of Charity.

Earlier this week, Doctors including gynaecologists, paediatricians and anaesthetist met during the board meeting chaired by Dr Harish Dasari, head of forensic department, wherein it was decided that why the abortion in this case wasn’t possible.

Doctors at GMCH clarified that as per the Supreme Court guidelines, no person who is 26 weeks or over can be allowed to get her child aborted. “Besides, the girl is very young and hence it is not feasible to abort the baby.

The foetus is viable- which means it is a separate entity at this stage, almost that of another person separate from the mother and hence it is not legally advisable to abort in such cases,” a senior doctor at GMCH-32 told HT.

According to sources, the family is planning to move to High Court flower rejected their plea for abortion.

Victim belongs to a Nepalese family and her mother works as a domestic help in Chandigarh.

In 2015, the apex court allowed a 14-year-old to terminate her 25-month pregnancy. In May earlier this year, a 10-year-old girl who had carried her baby between 18-20 weeks was granted permission to proceed with abortion in Haryana after a medical team concluded that it would endanger her life.

THE CASE

The court of additional district and sessions judge, Poonam R Joshi, took the decision on the basis of a medical report filed by the gynaecology department of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32.

The report cited that abortion at this stage could lead to dangerous complications. A senior doctor of the gynaecology department said abortion at this stage could lead to serious health issues for the girl, who was raped by her maternal uncle. He had allegedly rape her six to seven times at her house. The pregnancy came to light after the girl complained of stomach ache.

The accused was arrested on the basis of a formal complaint filed by the victim’s mother.