A Study on Doctors’ Perception on Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act

The Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT) Act was implemented in 1996 in view of the falling gender ratio, and amended in 2003 as The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. But data on perception of doctors regarding this issue are scant. With this view the study is undertaken.

The objective of the study is to find out the perception of PCPNDT Act of doctors and difficulties faced by them.

The study was a cross-sectional study conducted on doctors from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Department of Radiology of Burdwan Medical College, Burdwan, using a pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire.

Most of the doctors were aware about the purpose and consequences of violation of the act. Ninety percent of the study subjects state that there is a demand from patients in OPD for gender determination. The implementation of the act was associated with excessive paperwork as opined by the doctors. Sixty-nine percent of the study subjects were of the opinion that the PCPNDT Act cannot be the only tool for improving the gender ratio and other measures such as increasing general awareness of the public and increasing literacy rate were necessary.

There is a high demand for gender determination. Excessive paperwork was associated with the implementation of the Act. The Act is not enough to improve the gender ratio and other measures such as education and increasing the general awareness of the public regarding gender issues are needed.