A study of attitude, awareness and practice on female feticide of pregnant women in Udaipur city of Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Background: Female feticide has been a big social problem in all the states of India. There is a male child preference by pregnant women including their family members. Thus this study aimed to assess attitude, awareness and practice on female feticide.Methods: The present study was conducted in Udaipur city of Rajasthan in 500 pregnant women of first and second trimester from urban and rural areas of Udaipur city.Results: Out of 500 pregnant women 60% had shown no gender preference, 23.4% preferred male child and 16.6% had preferred to have female child. Regarding awareness, 86.2% and 91.2% women knew that prenatal sex determination and female feticide are illegal respectively. There is significant difference in association in gender preference and awareness about female feticide between rural and urban women and their educational status. The desire to have one male child is main cause for female feticide as male child is considered as necessary condition for family name.Conclusions: Being the civilized citizens, it is our duty to raise voice against the declining sex ratio and killing of girl child. Being a woman it is our primary duty as well as concern to come forward to stop this menace.