Fetal sex-determination in Delhi: a population-based investigation

• Published in: Tropical doctor Vol. 37; no. 2; p. 98
• Main Authors: Chaturvedi, S, Chhabra, P, Bharadwaj, S, Smanla, S, Kannan, A T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-04-2007
• Subjects: Abortion, Induced - legislation & jurisprudence; Abortion, Induced - utilization; Adult; Female; Humans; India - epidemiology; Male; Maternal Health Services - utilization; Population Surveillance - methods; Pregnancy; Sex Preselection; Social Control, Formal; Surveys and Questionnaires; Urban Health Services - utilization; India
• ISSN: 0049-4755
• DOI: 10.1177/004947550703700214

A population-based cross-sectional inquiry was carried out in Delhi to assess the practice of fetal sex determination, sex-selective abortions and awareness about the related law. A total of 1514 respondents, selected through multistage cluster sampling from all across Delhi, were interviewed using a pretested, semistructured questionnaire. Legal awareness (73.6%) was significantly better among the male and urban respondents. Only 39 (2.6%) of the respondents had ever gone for fetal sex determination. In 17 (43.6%) of them, it was done in spite of being aware of its unlawfulness, and in 33 (84.6%), the couple had one or more living male children. Frequency of fetal sex determination was comparable for slum and urban areas. Fifty-six additional cases of fetal sex determination, occurring in the neighbourhood of the respondents, were also reported. A total of 28 cases of female feticide were reported. Awareness about the illegality of fetal sex determination has improved, compared with the 1997-1998 data collected from East Delhi (55.3-73.6%). However, this comparison also shows a marginal increase in the practice of fetal sex determination (2.1-2.6%). In all cases of feticide, a qualified doctor was involved. A number of couples abandoned the abortion plan midway, even after detecting that the fetus was female, and there were occasional cases where the doctor refused to abort the female fetus.