The secular public discussion on abortion in India has generally been centred around the need to prevent sex selective abortion because of its social consequences. Abortion has also been discussed in the context of maternal health, where it is feared that contraception use is substituted by repeated induced abortions. Another concern has been that induced abortions are resorted to by unmarried girls. In all the above circumstances, the key ethical issues are related to gender inequality and the presence of subtle or overt coercion. It needed a person like Niketa Mehta to initiate the ethical discussion surrounding the question of abortion per se in India.