South Africa: constitutional court rejects constitutional challenge to law criminalizing prostitution

On 9 October 2002, a majority of South Africa's Constitutional Court dismissed appeals from convictions for prostitution and keeping a brothel, rejecting arguments that the law was unconstitutional. However, the minority decision, endorsed by five of eleven judges, found that the provision that made the sex worker but not the client guilty of a criminal offence was discriminatory and should be struck down.     

India: constitutional challenge to anti-sodomy law

On 7 December 2001, the Naz Foundation India Trust filed a petition with the Delhi High Court alleging that the prohibitions on sodomy in Indian law are unconstitutional.     

Maternal death due to unnoticed ectopic pregnancy during prostaglandin-induced abortion

The use of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) for the termination of pregnancy is quite common and generally is considered safe. Among the complications reported are uterine rupture and dramatic pyrexic and cardiovascular response (6). A case is reported in which a woman with an ectopic pregnancy that had not been noted at ultrasonography was admitted for abortion with PGE2 with fatal outcome. At autopsy an insignificant uterine rupture was noted in addition to the main findings.