Section 196: Infanticide – Reduced charge for mothers

Where a woman by any wilful act or omission causes the death of her child being a child under the age of twelve months, but at the time of the act or omission the balance of her mind was disturbed by reason of her not having fully recovered from the effect of giving birth to the child or by reason of the effect of lactation consequent upon the birth of the child, then, notwithstanding that the circumstances were such that but for the provisions of this section the offence would have amounted to murder, she commits the felony of infanticide, and may for such offence be dealt with and punished as if she had been guilty of the offence of manslaughter of the child.