- By the Act, a married woman may end her pregnancy up to 20 weeks if a contraceptive technique or device fails. For this reason, it also allows divorced women to end a pregnancy.
- The Act requires the opinion of a single Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) about the abortion of pregnancies with a gestational age of up to 20 weeks.
- Opinions of two RMPs are required to terminate pregnancies between the gestational period of 20 and 24 weeks.
- If there are significant foetal abnormalities, the State-level medical board's approval is required before a pregnancy can be terminated after 24 weeks.
- Survivors of sexual assault
- Incest sufferers
- Widow
- Differently Abled women
- Minors
- Except for a person permitted by active legislation, "the identity and other specific details of a woman whose pregnancy has been aborted should not be divulged."
- The new law will help achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely 3 and 5, by assisting in eliminating avoidable maternal death.
- While SDGs 3.7 and 5.6 focus on ensuring everyone has access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, SDG 3.1 is concerned with lowering the rate of maternal death.
- With the modifications, more women will have access to safe abortion services, and those who need to stop a pregnancy will be treated with respect, autonomy, secrecy, and fairness.
- One viewpoint holds that a pregnant woman's decision to end the pregnancy is her choice and an element of her reproductive rights. In contrast, the opposing view has that the state must preserve life and should thus make provisions to ensure the safety of the foetus.
- Based on the health of the foetus and the risk to the expectant mother, various conditions and time restrictions are imposed by nations worldwide to legalise abortions.
- The Act only permits abortions after 24 weeks if a Medical Board has identified significant foetal abnormalities.
- This suggests that the only option in a rape-related abortion case if the pregnancy is more than 24 weeks is to file a Writ Petition.
- According to the Act, only gynaecologists or obstetricians are authorised to conduct abortions.
- Pregnant women may still have trouble finding somewhere to get safe abortions since there is a 75% shortfall of these specialists in community health centres in remote areas.
