Updated by: Arabinda Naik
Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) or induced abortion is the intentional or voluntary termination of pregnancy before full term. The Government of India legalized MTP in 1971 with some strict conditions to avoid its misuse. These are important to check indiscriminate and illegal female foeticides which are reported to be high in India. MTPs are done in certain cases where pregnancy can be harmful and even fatal either to the mother or the foetus or both, or duets failure of contraceptive used during coitus or rapes. MTPs are considered relatively safe during the first trimester (up to 12 weeks) of pregnancy. During the second trimester, MTPs are unsafe and could be fatal too. About 45-50 million MTPs are carried out in a year all over the world. It has a significant role in decreasing population though it is not meant for that purpose.
Safe period and unsafe period: Medical termination of pregnancy is considered safe only during the first trimester, that is 12 weeks of pregnancy because during this period the embryo is not implanted deep inside the uterine wall and is also not well developed.