📘 Essential for Obstetrics, Community Health, Midwifery & Nursing Law
Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) refers to the intentional termination of pregnancy by medical or surgical methods, as permitted under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act in India.
✅ “MTP is the deliberate termination of pregnancy before the fetus becomes viable (i.e., before 20–24 weeks of gestation in India), using either medicines or surgical procedures.”
🔄 Amended: 2002 and most recently in 2021
| 🏷️ Aspect | 📘 Details |
|---|---|
| Permitted Duration | Up to 24 weeks (with conditions) |
| Consent Required | Only woman’s consent (if above 18 years) |
| Approved Personnel | Only by registered medical practitioners (RMP) |
| Place | Only in government or approved private institutions |
| Beyond 24 Weeks | Only if fetal abnormalities are detected, and approved by a medical board |
🔹 Medical: Risk to mother’s life or physical/mental health
🔹 Eugenic: Fetal abnormalities (detected via scan or tests)
🔹 Humanitarian: Pregnancy due to rape/incest
🔹 Social: Failure of contraception (in married/unmarried women)
🔸 Drugs Used:
• Mifepristone (anti-progesterone)
• Misoprostol (prostaglandin analog)
🔸 Used up to: 7–9 weeks (63 days) of gestation
🔸 Procedure:
Day 1: Mifepristone orally
Day 2/3: Misoprostol orally/vaginally
Bleeding occurs within 24–48 hours
✅ Advantages: Non-invasive, no anesthesia, done at home
⚠️ Disadvantages: Incomplete abortion, prolonged bleeding, cramping
| 🛠️ Method | 📌 Used for |
|---|---|
| Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) | Upto 12 weeks |
| Dilation & Evacuation (D&E) | 12 to 20 weeks |
| Hysterotomy / Hysterectomy | Rare; when other methods fail or unsafe |
✅ Advantages: Quick, complete, reliable
⚠️ Risks: Infection, uterine injury, anesthesia complications
🔹 Confirm pregnancy and gestational age
🔹 Take complete consent (Form C)
🔹 Rule out ectopic pregnancy
🔹 Explain procedure, side effects, follow-up
🔹 Ensure RMP and approved center
🔹 Monitor bleeding, vitals, pain
🔹 Provide emotional support
🔹 Check for signs of infection or incomplete abortion
🔹 Give Rh immunoglobulin if mother is Rh⁻
🔹 Advise rest, hygiene, contraception
🔸 Incomplete abortion
🔸 Severe bleeding or hemorrhage
🔸 Uterine perforation
🔸 Infection / septic abortion
🔸 Psychological trauma
🔸 Infertility (rare)
🟡 MTP Act in India permits abortion up to 24 weeks (with conditions)
🟡 Only RMPs can perform abortion at approved centers
🟡 Mifepristone + Misoprostol = medical abortion
🟡 D&E is the surgical method used between 12–20 weeks
🟡 Rh⁻ women should receive anti-D after abortion
Q1. Medical abortion can be performed up to how many weeks of gestation?
🅰️ 6 weeks
✅ 🅱️ 9 weeks
🅲️ 12 weeks
🅳️ 24 weeks
Correct Answer: 🅱️ 9 weeks
Q2. The most common drug combination used in medical abortion is:
🅰️ Oxytocin and Ergometrine
✅ 🅱️ Mifepristone and Misoprostol
🅲️ Methotrexate and Misoprostol
🅳️ Progesterone and Estrogen
Correct Answer: 🅱️ Mifepristone and Misoprostol
Q3. According to the MTP Act (2021), pregnancy can be terminated up to how many weeks under special conditions?
🅰️ 20 weeks
✅ 🅱️ 24 weeks
🅲️ 22 weeks
🅳️ 12 weeks
Correct Answer: 🅱️ 24 weeks
Q4. Which of the following is NOT a surgical method of MTP?
🅰️ Dilation and Evacuation
🅱️ Manual Vacuum Aspiration
✅ 🅲️ Misoprostol
🅳️ Hysterotomy
Correct Answer: 🅲️ Misoprostol
Q5. After abortion, Rh-negative women should receive:
🅰️ Antibiotics
🅱️ Iron supplements
✅ 🅲️ Rh immunoglobulin
🅳️ Vitamin K
Correct Answer: 🅲️ Rh immunoglobulin