‘The more we change, the more we remain the same’: female feticide continues unabated in India
Authors
Sudip Bhattacharya
Department of Community Medicine. School of Public Health, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
Amarjeet Singh
Department of Community Medicine, SPH, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
Keywords:
global health, healthcare improvement and patient safety, medical education, medical management, abortion
Abstract
In North India, preference for sons has been blamed for repeated incidents of female feticide, despite the legislation in the form of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 2002. We describe how a team of local private doctors offer package deals to pregnant women and their families in rural areas. The fetal sex is determined at night using a portable ultrasonography machine.
If the fetus is a girl, an immediate induced abortion is offered in the clients’ home. If complications arise, women are advised to attend hospital. Such a patient visited us with a history of bleeding per vagina following incomplete induced abortion. This case study highlights the fact that female feticide continues to occur in India.
Keywords: global health, healthcare improvement and patient safety, medical education, medical management, abortion
Author Biography
Sudip Bhattacharya, Department of Community Medicine. School of Public Health, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India
Department of Community Medicine, SPH, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India
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