Nithin Kumar1, B B Darshan2, Bhaskaran Unnikrishnan3, Tanuj Kanchan4, Rekha Thapar5, Prasanna Mithra5, Vaman Kulkarni6, Ramesh Holla2. 1. Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University) , Mangalore, Karnataka, India. 2. Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University) , Mangalore, Karnataka, India. 3. Professor and Head, Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University) Mangalore, Karnataka, India . 4. Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University) Mangalore, Karnataka, India . 5. Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University) , Mangalore, Karnataka, India . 6. Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (Manipal University) , Mangalore, Karnataka, India .
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to assess the awareness and attitude regarding prenatal sex determination and Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic techniques Act among pregnant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried at tertiary care teaching hospitals of Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore, India among 132 pregnant women. Data was collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences(SPSS) version 11.5 and results were expressed in percentages. RESULTS: The study included 132 participants and the mean age of study subjects was around 27 y. Majority of the study subjects (91.7%) knew that prenatal sex determination was possible. Three fourth (74.4%) of the participants prenatal sex determination was a punishable offence. One of the participants was ready to terminate pregnancy if sex of the fetus was revealed to be female before second trimester. Majority of participants (67.4%) were willing to educate people about PCPNDT act and motivate them against sex determination and sex selective abortions. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that higher proportion of participants knew about the prenatal sex determination and it was a punishable offence, still majority of them preferred to know the sex of unborn child which shows the need to implement the act effectively.
OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to assess the awareness and attitude regarding prenatal sex determination and Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic techniques Act among pregnant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried at tertiary care teaching hospitals of Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore, India among 132 pregnant women. Data was collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences(SPSS) version 11.5 and results were expressed in percentages. RESULTS: The study included 132 participants and the mean age of study subjects was around 27 y. Majority of the study subjects (91.7%) knew that prenatal sex determination was possible. Three fourth (74.4%) of the participants prenatal sex determination was a punishable offence. One of the participants was ready to terminate pregnancy if sex of the fetus was revealed to be female before second trimester. Majority of participants (67.4%) were willing to educate people about PCPNDT act and motivate them against sex determination and sex selective abortions. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that higher proportion of participants knew about the prenatal sex determination and it was a punishable offence, still majority of them preferred to know the sex of unborn child which shows the need to implement the act effectively.