Title: A Cross - Sectional Study to Assess the Awareness of PCPNDT Act and the Term Sex-Ratio among Married Women of Cosmopolitan City of Central India

Authors: Dr Deepa Raghunath, Dr Anand Kumar Patidar, Dr Sanjay Dixit, Dr Harish Shukla, Kriti Sharma, Mohit Gothwal, Mrinal Chatterjee, Mudit Maheshwari, Nikhil Mishra

 DOI:  https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i5.143

Abstract

Background: The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act,  is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to stop female feticide and arrest the declining sex ratio in India. It is a legislation to curb the abhorrent practice of sex determination and sex selection, which has its roots in India’s long history of strong patriarchal influence in all spheres of life.

Methods: An observational study done for 3 month in tertiary care government medical college, fertility clinics and residential areas of Indore city. 270 married women of age group 18-40 yrs of different socioeconomic class and educational status were interviewed by using Pre designed semi-structured questionnaire for assessing the awareness regarding PCPNDT Act.

Results: In this study about 73% had awareness about PCPNDT act and 63% were aware about the term sex ratio however the knowledge about the  meaning of the term sex ratio were slight low(54.8%).Only 48% had knowledge about the person responsible for gender of the child and about 60% had awareness with regards to female feticide.

Conclusion: Majority of the study population were aware about the PCPNDT act, female feticide and sex ratio.

Keywords: PCPNDT act, Sex ratio, Married women.

References

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Corresponding Author

Dr Anand Kumar Patidar

Resident, MGM Medical College Indore MP India