Ultrasound laws and healthcare access

Notes

• The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994, was enacted to address the decline in child sex ratio due to prenatal sex determination and selective abortion.
• The Act mandates registration of all genetic clinics and ultrasound centres and prohibits the disclosure of foetal sex.
• The Act regulates the purchase, installation, and movement of ultrasound machines, requiring them to remain at registered locations.
• Unintended consequences of the Act include increased child mortality among firstborn girls and higher fertility rates in families seeking male children.
• Portable ultrasound technology is currently restricted by the Act, hindering its use for community-based cancer diagnostics like breast cancer screening.
• Technological advancements, such as AI-enabled ultrasound and high-frequency probes, offer potential for purpose-specific diagnostic use without facilitating sex determination.
• Nearly 70% of India's population resides in rural areas where access to specialist radiologists and imaging is limited.
• Legislative approaches alone are insufficient to address deep-rooted gender bias, which persists despite legal prohibitions.