India's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that all women, regardless of marital status, can obtain abortions up to 24 weeks into their pregnancies.
Previously, under India's abortion law, married women could have abortions up to 24 weeks into their pregnancies, but single women were limited to 20 weeks.
On Thursday, the court extended the 24-week period to all women.
The judgment was cheered by reproductive rights activists, who said the court had ensured that the law does not discriminate and expands the right to safe and legal abortions to single women.
In its judgment, the court "breaks away from the stigma that is attached to single women getting pregnant," she said.
The court said denying single women the same access to abortion violated the right to equality before the law under India's Constitution.
Later that month, the Supreme Court allowed her to get an abortion up to her 24th week of pregnancy, and on Thursday extended that right to all women. »