In India, abortion was legalized by 'Medical Termination of Pregnancy' in?

Appeared in: DHS Staff Nurse - 2018 (Shift-2nd)

Explanation

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, which legalized abortion in India, was passed by the Parliament in the year 1971.
This act provided a legal framework for terminating certain pregnancies by registered medical practitioners, moving away from the earlier Indian Penal Code of 1860 which criminalized it.
The question specifically asks for the year of legalization, which corresponds to the year the act was passed, not the year it was implemented.

Option A: This is the year the MTP Act of 1971 officially came into force (on April 1, 1972). It is the year of implementation, not legislation.
Option C: This year is not associated with the initial legislation or implementation of the MTP Act.
Option D: In 1975, the MTP Rules were altered to simplify procedures and make services more accessible, but this was not the year the act was passed.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971 as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must be aware of the legal gestational limits for MTP (up to 20 weeks, and up to 24 weeks for special categories under the 2021 amendment) to provide accurate patient counseling and care.
A critical nursing responsibility is to ensure and document that the woman's own informed consent is obtained. Spousal consent is not legally required, and the nurse must support the patient's autonomy.
What if? A 19-year-old unmarried woman requests an MTP at 15 weeks due to contraceptive failure. The nurse must know that under the 2021 amendment, she is legally entitled to the procedure with the opinion of one registered medical practitioner, and her marital status is not a barrier.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question testing knowledge of a specific piece of legislation.
Identify the key phrase: 'legalized by'. This points to the year the law was enacted by Parliament.
Differentiate this from the year the law 'came into force' or was 'implemented', which is a common point of confusion and a frequent distractor in exams.
Recall the historical timeline of the MTP Act. The Act was passed in 1971.
Select the option corresponding to the year the Act was passed.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 199-200

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-232 of 464) p. 1

Practise the full DHS Staff Nurse - 2018 (Shift-2nd)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.