Sex ratio falls in Delhi: Govt bans genetic sample transfers outside city; abortion pill sale under scanner | Delhi News

NEW DELHI: Alarmed by a steady decline in the city’s sex ratio at birth, Delhi govt has banned sending genetic material outside the city for advanced prenatal tests and ordered stricter enforcement of restrictions on over-the-counter sale of abortion pills.Delhi’s sex ratio at birth dropped to 920 girls per 1,000 boys in 2024, down from 922 in 2023. Health officials said the trend suggests that illegal prenatal sex determination may be making a comeback. “All tests, wherever clinically indicated, must be carried out only in registered genetic laboratories within Delhi, duly approved under the PCPNDT Act,” the directive stated. ‘Easy access to MTP drugs raises risk of their misuse’ All centres conducting these tests must file monthly reports with the state PCPNDT authority, detailing the number of samples, labs involved, and outcomes. Officials warned that any attempt to use these technologies for sex selection will invite strict penal action, including cancellation of registration and prosecution under the PCPNDT Act.In a separate letter to the Delhi drug controller on Wednesday, the state programme officer for PCPNDT Act flagged the misuse of abortion pills. “Sex-selective abortions carried out under the guise of the MTP Act remain a significant factor in the declining sex ratio. The easy availability of MTP drugs such as mifepristone raises the risk of their misuse,” he wrote.He added: “Ensure strict compliance and effective monitoring of the sale of MTP drugs across Delhi.”The restrictions, officials said, would also prevent unsafe terminations and ensure medical supervision for women seeking abortions.