The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Women urged to avoid sex determination tests

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Women urged to avoid sex determination tests

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI, AUG. 17. Speakers at a seminar on pre-natal diagnostic techniques here today urged pregnant women to avoid going for sex determination tests and emphasised that the potential of a girl child was as strong as that of a male.

At the seminar, organised by the Family Planning Association of India, speakers said the parents had to realise that a scan was meant to diagnose the foetus' growth and not intended to carry out abortions.

S. Indirani, Joint Director of Health Services, said sex determination test was an offence liable to be punished under the law. Asking women to avoid going for a scan under family compulsion, she said sex-selective abortions should be avoided.

Dr. Indirani said steps were being taken to get all scan centres registered with the health and family welfare department and pointed out that the Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques Regulation and Prevention of Misuse Act (1994) had provisions prohibiting sex selection.

She said the joint directors in the districts were empowered to take action against centres that violated the norms.

Besides, Dr. Indirani said a scan should be done only with the woman's consent. She said advisory committees were formed at the district-level involving gynaecologists, government officials and woman activists, to create awareness at the grass-root level.

S. R. Reddy, Senior Regional Director (Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry), Health and Family Welfare, who inaugurated the seminar, said women self-help groups and non-governmental organisations had a role in removing misconceptions at the rural level.

He said the continuance of adverse sex ratio had dangerous consequences.

R. D. Murugesan, president, FPAI-Madurai Branch, said foeticide was a case in which application of technology led to a social problem.

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