Kerala High Court permits couple to surrender baby with skeletal dysplasia

The Kerala High Court has granted permission to a couple expecting a child with skeletal dysplasia to hand the infant over to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) immediately after birth.

The couple had initially sought a medical termination of the pregnancy, which is over 33 weeks along. However, a court-constituted medical board advised against termination, noting that the fetus suffers from a non-lethal form of the condition. The board suggested that since the couple did not intend to raise the child, the infant could be surrendered to the CWC instead.

Justice Harisankar V Menon observed that because the couple does not intend to retain the child, medical termination is unnecessary. Skeletal dysplasia refers to a group of rare genetic conditions that affect bone and cartilage development.