Doctors Allow 10-Year-Old Rohtak Girl Who Was Raped By Stepfather To Undergo Abortion

A panel of doctors at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) has decided to abort the fetus of the 10-year-old girl from Rohtak, Haryana who was raped repeatedly by her stepfather.

The decision was taken after the doctors assessed that the victim, was “20 weeks plus-minus two weeks” pregnant.

BCCL/ Representational Image

Under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, abortion is not allowed if the fetus is 20 weeks or older. But abortion can be done if there are grave risks to either the mother's or the foetus' health. Doctors said the victim was too young to bear a child, and a full-term pregnancy and childbirth could put her life in grave danger, so they decided to go a ahead with abortion, on humanitarian grounds.

"The board has decided to go with the abortion. This decision is in the best interest of the child (10-year-old girl),"PGIMS, Rohtak doctor, Prashant Kumar said.

The doctors took the decision on Tuesday after a local court gave them two options - consider the foetus’s age to be less than 20 weeks and go ahead with the abortion. Or, wait for the pregnancy to complete its full term if they feel the unborn child has surpassed the age cap.

BCCL/ Representational Image

The shocking crime came to light on Sunday after the victim's mother who works as a domestic help took her to a doctor who confirmed the pregnancy. It was only later the victim revealed that she was impregnated by her stepfather who used to sexually abuse her regularly when her mother was away for work.

The family originally from Bihar had been living in Rohtak for the past five years.

The victim is the second of the four children of her mother, who married the younger brother of her ex-husband after his death.