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

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.