Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994
The Pre-Conception Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 | |
---|---|
Parliament of India | |
Long title
| |
Citation | [1] |
Enacted by | Parliament of India |
Assented to | 20 September 1994 |
Commenced | 1 January 1996 |
Amended by | |
The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition Of Sex Selection) Act. 2003 | |
Status: In force |
Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 is an
Female foeticide in India
This process began in the early 1990 when
Objectives
The main purpose of enacting the act is to ban the use of sex selection techniques after conception and prevent the misuse of prenatal diagnostic technique for sex selective
Definitions
Sex selection is any act of identifying the sex of the foetus and elimination of the foetus if it is of the unwanted sex.[7]
Salient features
- The Act provides for the prohibition of sex selection, before or after conception.
- It regulates the use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques, like ultrasound and amniocentesis by allowing them their use only to detect :
- genetic abnormalities
- metabolic disorders
- chromosomal abnormalities
- certain congenital malformations
- haemoglobinopathies
- sex linked disorders.
- No ultrasonographyfor the purpose of determining the sex of the foetus.
- No person, including the one who is conducting the procedure as per the law, will communicate the sex of the foetusto the pregnant woman or her relatives by words, signs or any other method.
- Any person who puts an advertisement for pre-natal and pre-conception sex determination facilities in the form of a , can be imprisoned for up to three years and fined ₹ 10,000.
Compulsory registration
The Act mandates compulsory registration of all diagnostic laboratories, all genetic counselling centres, genetic laboratories, genetic clinics and ultrasound clinics.[4]
Amendment in 2003
Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994 (PNDT), was amended in 2003 to The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition Of Sex Selection) Act (PCPNDT Act) to improve the regulation of the technology used in sex selection.
Implications of the
- Amendment of the act mainly covered bringing the technique of pre conception sex selection within the ambit of the act
- Bringing ultrasound within its ambit
- Empowering the central supervisory board, constitution of state level supervisory board
- Provision for more stringent punishments
- Empowering appropriate authorities with the power of civil court for search, seizure and sealing the machines and equipments of the violators
- Regulating the sale of the ultrasound machines only to registered bodies
See also
- Prenatal sex discernment
- Sex selection
- Sex ratio in India
References
- ^ "Health ministry receives complaints against web giants for sex determination violations". 5 January 2018.
- ^ "To ensure prized baby boy, Indians flock to Bangkok". The Times of India. 27 December 2010.
- ^ "Chandigarh IVF expert helps police arrest Delhi resident seeking sex selection". The Times of India. 26 June 2016.
- ^ a b "orissa gov. India" (PDF). Dr. Krushma chandra.
- ^ "UNICEF India". UNICEF. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- JSTOR 3092788.)
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ "Answers to Frequently Asked Questions" (PDF). Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition Of Sex Selection) Act. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
- ^ Goel, Ayush. "Preconception and prenatal diagnostic techniques act". Radiopaedia. Retrieved 28 May 2015.