In Brief
A pregnant woman at 27 weeks sought permission under Article 32 of the Constitution to terminate her pregnancy after the fetus was diagnosed with severe anomalies including Arnold Chiari malformation, hydrocephalus, and spina bifida. The Supreme Court constituted a Medical Board to evaluate the case. Although the fetus had severe physical abnormalities affecting post-natal quality of life, the mother faced no medical risk. The Medical Board advised against termination, noting the fetus could be born alive and survive for some period. The Court dismissed the petition, holding that maternal anxiety alone, without danger to the mother's life and with some possibility of fetal survival, does not justify medical termination of pregnancy.
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