China's Ministry of Health on Wednesday reiterated its warning
against the use of ultrasonic and chromosomal examinations in
illegal fetus gender identification and abortions.
Ultrasonic and chromosomal examinations in fetus gender
identification and selective abortions for non-medical reasons were
major causes of the unbalanced birth gender ratio, the ministry
said in a statement.
Health authorities must continue their crackdown on the illegal
use of the examinations and prosecute practitioners, it urged.
Stricter rules should be introduced in gender identification and
abortions, including raising the criteria for the licensing of
medical institutes and medical practitioners.
Public and professional awareness of laws and regulations should
be raised with the coordination of family planning, culture and
broadcasting departments, it said.
Health departments should also work closely with public security
authorities and family planning departments in dealing with illegal
practices, and encourage information from the public.
Self-discipline and self-supervision must be enhanced in medical
institutes and healthcare centers, where the ministry would launch
inspections soon.
In China, where sons are traditionally preferred and most
couples can have only one child, prospective parents have been
known to abort a pregnancy if tests showed the fetus was female. As
a result, 119 boys are born for every 100 girls, much higher than
the global ratio of 103 to 107 boys for 100 girls.
The government has prosecuted 3,000 cases of gender
identification and abortions for non-medical reasons over the past
two years. The practice was banned with the adoption of the
Population and Family Planning Law and Law on Maternal and Infant
Health.
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(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2006)