'The son preference’: Indirect evidence of sex selective abortions in the Indian migrant community

A new study in Australia has revealed that certain migrant communities from countries with a strong son preference are significantly contributing to the imbalance in the sex ratio of the Australian population. Some Indian-born mothers told SBS Punjabi they feel societal pressure to have sons.

Indirect evidence of sex-selective abortion practices to the imbalanced sex ratio at birth in Australian migrant populations. Credit: Pexels.

Tarun* (37), a Melbourne mother of two daughters, says she feels her family is complete, yet admits that the societal pressure of son preference remains very real.

People think if you don’t have a son, your family is not complete.

Tarun

A new study by Global Public Health identifies indirect evidence of sex-selective abortions among migrant communities, raising concerns for mothers from cultures with a strong preference for sons.

Study shows that the increasing availability of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), which can determine fetal sex as early as 10 weeks, has raised some ethical concerns regarding its potential misuse for sex-selective abortion. Source: Getty / Getty Images/Karl Tapales

In this population-based study, Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese mothers exhibited significantly higher rates of induced abortion following early prenatal testing, with skewed sex ratios at birth suggesting that son preference and sex-selective practices are present across these migrant communities in Australia.

Non-invasive prenatal testing can determine fetal sex as early as 10 weeks. However, the increasing availability of this testing has raised concerns about its potential misuse.

The study provides observational evidence linking the male-biased sex ratio at birth to prenatal sex determination and subsequent selective female-biased abortion practices.

Harjeet Kaur* told SBS Punjabi that when people learn I have two daughters; they often view us with pity.

She shared an incident when someone suggested alternative ways to have a boy.

"A person came to me and suggested to visit a 'baba' (self-proclaimed god) and pray for a boy child. They didn't even care to ask me about my wish or opinion," she said.

Dr. Rabia Shaikh from IVF Australia is an experienced obstetrician/gynaecologist and a leading fertility specialist. She notes that many individuals from Asian communities seek appointments to discuss sex-selective IVF treatment.

She emphasises that some parents, despite having no fertility issues, still believe the myth that IVF can be used to choose a baby’s gender.

Dr. Rabia Shaikh is specialized in Advanced Laparoscopy / Egg Freezing / Endometriosis / Obstetrics / Recurrent Miscarriage at IVF Australia. Credit: Supplied by Dr. rabia Shaikh.

Dr. Shaikh also told SBS Punjabi that parents who choose to abort their child may face fertility issues in the future.

* Name changed for privacy.

Disclaimer: The views and information expressed in this article are of a general nature and should not be taken as advice. The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the people interviewed. You should always consult your own medical or health professionals. Contact Lifeline 131114 lifeline.org.au / Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 beyondblue.org.au. In an emergency call 000.

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