10-year-old girl who was raped repeatedly by stepdad granted abortion

UPDATE: The 10-year-old girl who found out she was pregnant at five months, following being raped by her stepdad, has been granted an abortion by a court in India.

"The court has asked the doctors to terminate this pregnancy, " Dr. S.K. Dhattarwal, head of the institute's forensic medicine department, told CNN.

"We are examining the female to determine the best method for abortion. It will be carried out in the evening."

Abortions are illegal in India if a woman is over 20 weeks pregnant unless the termination of the pregnancy is immediately necessary to save the life of the woman, however, thankfully, the court decided to approve this case due to the horrific circumstances.

ORIGINAL: The fate of a pregnant 10-year-old girl who was repeatedly raped by her stepfather lies in the hands of an Indian court, which will decide whether to let her have an abortion or force her to deliver the child.

In India, abortion is illegal if a woman is more than 20 weeks pregnant - which the girl already is - except in cases where the pregnancy is deemed a risk to the mother's life.

Local media is reporting she only found out she was with child last Friday when her mother took her to the doctor.

The pregnancy was then confirmed by her physician and the girl told her mother what had been happening to her, after which her stepfather was arrested.

The 10-year-old told her mother that her stepfather, who is also her paternal uncle, had threatened her about discussing the rapes.

Her mother now pleading for her daughter to not have to go through with the pregnancy with the medical board of PGIMS, Rohtak meeting tomorrow to discuss the case.

This article originally appeared on Marie Claire.