Kochi: The Kerala High Court has permitted a couple expecting a baby diagnosed with a rare bone development disorder to hand over the newborn to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) after birth, after a medical board advised against terminating the pregnancy.

Justice Harisankar V Menon passed the order after the couple approached the court seeking permission to medically terminate a pregnancy that had exceeded 33 weeks. Medical examinations had revealed that the foetus had skeletal dysplasia, a group of genetic conditions affecting the development of bones and cartilage.

The medical board constituted by the court found that the foetus had a non-lethal form of the condition and said there was no medical necessity to terminate the pregnancy. It also noted that developmental delays could not be predicted at this stage without specialised genetic testing.
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Court permits handover after delivery

Following the medical board’s assessment, the couple decided not to pursue termination but sought permission to hand over the child to the CWC after birth.

The court accepted the alternative request, allowing the baby to be placed under the care of the child welfare authorities. The arrangement is intended to ensure that the newborn receives appropriate care and support.

The medical board had also recommended that the child be handed over to the CWC if the parents were unwilling or unable to raise the baby.
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What is skeletal dysplasia?

Skeletal dysplasia refers to a broad group of genetic conditions that affect the formation and growth of bones and cartilage. Medical literature describes hundreds of types, which vary in severity and their effects on a child’s development.

Achondroplasia, the most common non-lethal form, affects bone growth and typically results in short limbs and other characteristic physical features. Hypochondroplasia is a milder condition that may become apparent only during childhood or puberty.

Some forms of skeletal dysplasia can be life-threatening, including those associated with severely underdeveloped lungs. However, the medical board in this case described the foetus’s condition as non-lethal.

The board also cautioned that, without specialised genetic testing, it was not possible to determine at this stage whether the child would experience developmental delays.