Repugnant Problem: Female Feticide In Canada Requires Action

“A pregnant woman being told the sex of the fetus at ultrasonography at a time when an unquestioned abortion is possible is the starting point of female feticide from a health care perspective,” writes Dr. Kale. Although a woman has a right to information about herself that relates to her health and medical care, “the sex of the fetus is medically irrelevant information (except when managing rare sex-linked illnesses) and does not affect care.”

Research in Canada indicates that in certain ethnic groups, couples who have two daughters and no son choose to abort female fetuses until they can have a male child. A small US study of 65 immigrant Indian women indicated that 40% ended earlier pregnancies with female fetuses and 89% of women with female fetuses terminated their current pregnancies.

Dr. Kale argues that the provincial colleges governing physicians should adopt policies that limit disclosure of fetal sex by health professionals to after 30 weeks.

“Compared with the situation in India and China, the problem of female feticide in Canada is small, circumscribed and manageable,” concludes Dr. Kale. “If Canada cannot control this repugnant practice, what hope do India and China have of saving millions of women?”

Contacts and sources:
Kim Barnhardt
Canadian Medical Association Journal