Female feticide is the practice of aborting a fetus if prenatal sex determination tests reveal it is female. In India, the 2011 census found an overall sex ratio of only 914 females per 1000 males, and the ratio of female feticide is significantly higher in some states like Punjab and Haryana. Parents engage in female feticide due to considering girls a financial burden, fear of dowry, the availability of technology to determine sex, and an obsession with having sons. This leads to adverse effects like declining female populations, women trafficking, and impacts on women's health. Laws have been implemented to prohibit determining or selecting sex before or after conception.

1. PRESENTED BY:
Mrs. DEVA PON PUSHPAM.I,
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR.

2.  Female feticide is a practice that involves the
detection of the sex of the unborn baby in the
womb of the mother and the decision to abort
it if it is a girl.
 This could be done by the mother or father or
both or under family pressure.
 The detection of the sex of the baby was done
through three methods : amniocentesis,
chronic villus sampling and ultrasonography.

3.  It is defined as aborting a female fetus after sex
determination test.
MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM:
o According to 2011 census, the overall sex ratio in
India is 914 females per 1000 males.
o Female child population in the age group of 0-6
years was 78.83 million in 2001 which declined
to 75.84 million in 2011.
o The ratio of female feticide is significantly
higher in certain states such as Punjab or
Haryana.

4.  Girls are considered as financial obligation by
many parents.
 Fear of dowry.
 Advancement of technology helps parents in
determining the sex of the fetus.
 Some doctors do female feticide to fulfil their
money desire.
 Obsession for son.

5.  Women trafficking.
 Women are kidnapped.
 Bought and sold for marriage.
 Women are abused and sexually exploited.
 Adverse effects on women’s health physically,
mentally and emotionally.
 Decrease in the female popoulation.

6.  Determination of sex has been prohibited and is
a punishable offence.
 No genetic counselling centre and genetic
laboratory or genetic clinic should reveal sex of
the fetus.
 No prenatal diagnostic test like ultrasonography
should be done to determine sex of the fetus.
 No person shall, by whatever means or cause
allowed to select sex before or after conception.