Empowering Choice: The Battle For Reproductive Freedom And A Woman's Right To Terminate Pregnancy

Vaishali Yadav, LLM, Gujarat National Law University

Introduction

"In a world brimming with choices, from fashion decisions to life partners, individuals are endowed with certain fundamental rights, often regarded as inherent. Among these rights, the responsibility of procreation has traditionally fallen upon women. However, despite the shared responsibility for childbearing, women often find themselves with limited influence over decisions related to childbirth and its aftermath.

In patriarchal societies like India, a son is typically considered the carrier of the family's legacy, a notion deeply entrenched in history. Reproduction has always been a cornerstone of society, yet it has garnered the attention of numerous organizations and stakeholders as a critical issue affecting overall health, women's emotional and mental well-being, and societal progress.

Escalating rates of global maternal and infant morbidity and mortality have sounded alarm bells worldwide. Nations including China, Bangladesh, India, the United States, and various African countries have recognized this as a pervasive social issue threatening the welfare of families due to inadequate and subpar healthcare services.

Unintended and adolescent pregnancies are prevalent issues among women, leading to symptoms such as lower abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, irregular menstrual cycles, and white discharge. These are often consequences of inadequate family planning, sometimes resulting in unsafe abortions and female foeticide. Although policymakers and administrators have worked to raise awareness over time, discussions related to sexual health remain taboo.