Question:

Legal age by which a fetus is capable of independent existence is?

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Viability is about 7 months of intrauterine life.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • 240 days
  • 230 days
  • 220 days
  • 210 days
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: The concept here is viability, which is the physical ability of a fetus to lead a separate existence after birth, apart from the mother, by virtue of a certain degree of development.

Step 2: A child is considered viable after 210 days, that is about 7 months of intrauterine life. In some cases a fetus may survive after 180 days (6 months), but most of these are immature and rarely survive.

Step 3: The legally accepted figure for viability is therefore 210 days. The other options (240, 230 and 220 days) are higher values that do not match the recognised medico-legal threshold of independent existence.

Step 4: A useful marker of viability is the primary ossification centre of the talus, which appears at the end of the 7th month. Hence option (d) 210 days is correct.
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