What Is Medical Termination of Pregnancy and How Can It Be Done?
What is the Medical Termination of Pregnancy?
It can be described as a medical procedure to end a pregnancy through medical termination.
Do you know when MTP can be done?
Typically, MTP is performed during the last 20 weeks of pregnancy in India. Moreover, the gestational limit for terminating a pregnancy in India has been raised to 24 weeks by the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2021, allowing women who fall under special circumstances to terminate their pregnancies up to 24 weeks.
MTP: How is it done?
You will be scheduled for MTP once your gynecologist confirms the period of your pregnancy through ultrasound and eliminates any other infections or medical conditions.
Up to 9 weeks of pregnancy, MTP can be achieved by using only medicines. The medicines are given orally or intravenously, and once consumed they stop the growth of pregnancy and cause cramps and bleeding, which are the symptoms of the uterine lining being shed.
In the following 9 weeks, MTP can be achieved using other methods. The last stage of pregnancy can be terminated surgically through cervix dilation, curettage, or suction methods. Depending on the procedure, anesthesia may be required – local or general.
The MTP procedure is high-risk and therefore should be done under the supervision of a gynecologist even in the early stages of pregnancy.
Who can opt for Medical Termination of Pregnancy?
- Mothers-to-be who suffer from medical conditions that make pregnancy life-threatening
- If the child is at risk of having birth defects
- The failure of contraception in married couples
- A sexually abused pregnancy
- Pregnant women who may have a change in marital status
The consent of whom is required for the MTP procedure?
For MTP to be approved legally, only the consent of the pregnant woman approval is needed.
Is there any downside to MTP that needs to be considered?
Following MTP, you may experience the following complications:
- More than two weeks of bleeding
- Fever
- Discharges from the vaginal area that smell foul or increased
- Intense abdominal pain
- Itching or redness around the genital area
- Infection
The following information is provided in the public interest as general information. We would suggest that you please contact one of our doctors to learn more about Medical Termination of Pregnancy.