MP Board · Class 12 · Biology · Reproductive HealthExplain Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) and its legal status in India.

Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) or induced abortion is the intentional termination of pregnancy before full term for medical, social, or personal reasons. Government of India legalized MTP in 1971 with certain strict conditions to avoid its misuse, such as female feticide. MTP is considered safe during the first trimester, i.e., up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. However, terminations during the second trimester are much more risky and dangerous for the mother. Under the amended MTP Act of 2021, legal termination of pregnancy is permitted up to 20 weeks of gestation based on the opinion of a registered medical practitioner. For pregnancies between 20 to 24 weeks, the opinion of two registered medical practitioners is required for categories of women such as rape survivors, victims of incest, differently-abled women, and minors. MTP is vital for eliminating unwanted pregnancies resulting from unprotected intercourse, contraceptive failure, or rape, and when continuation of pregnancy poses grave physical or mental injury risks to the mother or the developing fetus.