NEW DELHI: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday cautioned stakeholders on the potential misuse of modern technologies like In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) for prenatal sex selection that can exacerbate gender imbalances.
IVF is a clinical procedure where a human egg is fertilised with sperm in a laboratory and then implanted into a uterus for pregnancy. He said modern technologies like IVF, the Non-Invasive Prenatal Test and compact diagnostic equipment can facilitate sex selection under the pretext of family balancing.
“These technologies, despite their positive medical applications, could be misused and exacerbate gender imbalances,” Mandaviya said while speaking at the 29th meeting of the Central Supervisory Board, in which concern on declining child sex ratio and sex ratio at birth was discussed.
Citing the latest Sample Registration Survey report of 2020, the health minister said, “The data revealed a commendable three-point improvement in sex ratio at birth from 904 in 2017-19 to 907 in 2018-20.” Importantly, 12 out of 22 surveyed states have demonstrated improvement, underlining the combined efforts of the states in implementing the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 (PC&PNDT Act) and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, the minister said.
The latest SRS report indicated that the gender gap has witnessed a two-point decrease in 2020 compared to a five-point gap in 2015. Ten states have effectively reversed the gender gap, positively impacting female survival rates, he said.
Under the PC&PNDT Act, the Central government has the responsibility to combat the misuse of medical technologies for sex determination. Till July 2023, reported cases under the PC&PNDT Act have risen to 3,563 from 2,048 in March 2015. Convictions secured under the Act have increased from 271 to 713 during this period. Licenses of 145 convicted doctors have been suspended by their respective state medical councils, the ministry said.
What law stipulates
Under the PC&PNDT Act, the Central government has the responsibility to combat the misuse of medical technologies for sex determination and selection. Till July 2023, reported cases under the PC&PNDT Act have risen to 3,563 from 2,048 in March 2015.