In a boost to female reproductive rights, India's cabinet on Wednesday backed giving women more time to seek an abortion in a bill aimed at helping the young, disadvantaged and the raped.
The government said the cabinet had approved extending the abortion deadline to 24 weeks from 20, with the measure set to go before a new session of parliament that opens on Friday.
"This will help particularly adolescent girls, disabled girls, rape victims and others who face these problems," Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar told a news conference.
Abortions are conditional in India.
They are offered only after rape - about 90 cases are logged each day - if there is serious danger to a mother, substantial risk of disability to a child or if contraceptive fails.
If the bill is passed, the change would replace a nearly 50-year-old law and would bring India closer into line with countries such as Greece, Finland and Taiwan, which set a conditional maximum limit of 24 weeks for abortions.
