The Kerala High Court has allowed a couple to hand over their newborn child to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) after they decided against terminating a pregnancy involving a foetus diagnosed with skeletal dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder affecting bone and cartilage development.
Justice Harisankar V Menon permitted the arrangement after considering the findings of a court-appointed medical board, which concluded that the foetus had a non-lethal form of the condition and that termination of the pregnancy was medically unnecessary.
The couple had initially approached the High Court seeking permission to terminate the pregnancy, which had progressed beyond 33 weeks. However, following the medical board’s assessment, they withdrew their request for termination and instead sought permission to surrender the child to the CWC after delivery.
Medical Board Rules Out Need for Termination
The medical board informed the Court that the skeletal dysplasia detected in the foetus was not a lethal condition. It consequently advised against terminating the pregnancy.
The board also clarified that the possibility of developmental delays could not be determined at that stage without genetic testing.
Addressing the couple’s unwillingness to raise the child, the medical experts suggested that the newborn could be placed in the care of the Child Welfare Committee.
Taking these recommendations into account, Justice Menon observed that medical termination was unnecessary when the couple did not intend to retain custody of the child after birth.
The Court accordingly permitted the couple to hand over the baby to the CWC following delivery.
What Is Skeletal Dysplasia?
Skeletal dysplasia refers to a group of rare genetic disorders that interfere with the formation, growth and development of bones and cartilage. Medical literature identifies more than 400 to 750 conditions within this category.
One of the most common non-lethal forms is achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism characterised by shortened limbs and a prominent forehead.
Other conditions include brittle bone disease and hypochondroplasia, a milder disorder affecting limb growth that may become noticeable only during childhood or puberty.
Certain forms of skeletal dysplasia can be fatal, particularly when they cause severely underdeveloped lungs or result in stillbirth.
In the present case, however, the medical board specifically identified the foetal condition as non-lethal, a finding that formed the basis of its recommendation against terminating the pregnancy.
