Use of Sex Selection Techniques for Social Reasons: A Menace

Sex selection skewed towards males is a malady that our society is grappling with. The desire to have a child of preferred gender has encouraged people to move beyond the ambit of traditions and explore scientific methods. Despite the controversies around sex-selection for social reasons and strong regulatory mechanisms in place, the demand for such measures has not gone down. On the contrary, traditional practice of consuming indigenous medicines during pregnancy for a male child continues. Recent research highlights the harms of this practice in the form of birth defects and stillbirths. This has led to stricter enforcement of PCPNDT Act and has stimulated the propagation of messages on the harms of these practices in the community.