Problem

Sex-selective abortions

Other Names:
Gender abortions
Misuse of results of ultrasound for sex determination
Amniocentesis leading to abortion
Gender-biased sex selection
Nature:

Sex-selective abortions—that is, abortions performed because of the predicted sex of the fetus—occur most frequently where there is a strong gender bias that manifests in a preference for sons. Amniocentesis and sex determination tests have been used to inform parents of the sex of their unborn child. Such cases have resulted in the performing of an abortion when the baby was not of the sex wanted.
Incidence:

In India, over one million (approximately 3,000 a day) female foetuses are aborted each year after testing. In Bombay alone, 258 private centres for amniocentesis have sprung up over the past few years, and 16 government-supported clinics provide the service as well, where the abortion of female foetuses is as high as 99%. Portable ultrasound units have meant that in some areas the service is "more available than running water". It is estimated that between 1978 and 1982, there were over 78,000 cases of amniocentesis followed by abortion of females in India as a whole.
Broader Problems:
Induced abortion
Violence against women
Deliberate unbalancing of sex ratio of births
Related Problems:
Indeterminate gender verification
Compounding effect of treating genetic diseases
Aggravates:
Imbalance in the human sex ratio
Reduces:
Female infanticide
Strategies:
Eliminating violence against women
Changing gender roles
Practicing gender abortion
Organizations:
World Health Organization (WHO)
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
Guttmacher Institute
Center for Reproductive Rights
Open Society Foundations (OSF)
Global Justice Center (GJC)
Global Fund for Women (GFW)
UN Women
IPAS
Postabortion Care Consortium (PAC Consortium)
International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortion
Latin American and Caribbean Consortium against Unsafe Abortion
Asia Safe Abortion Partnership (ASAP)
International Federation of Professional Abortion and Contraception Associates
African Youth Safe Abortion Alliance (AYOSA)
Subject(s):
Biosciences → Growth
Fundamental Sciences → Analytics
Fundamental Sciences → Sound
Medicine → Reproductive system
Societal Problems → Crime
Societal Problems → Destruction
Societal Problems → Maltreatment
Society → Sex-related questions
Society → Women
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-beingGOAL 5: Gender Equality
Problem Type:
E: Emanations of other problems
Date of last update
04.10.2020 – 22:48 CEST