(i) Intentional or voluntary termination of pregnancy before full term is called MTP or induced abortion. Nearly 45 to 50 millions MTPs are performed in a year all over the world which accounts to 1/5th (20%) of the total number of conceived pregnancies in a year. MTP has a significant role in decreasing the population though it is not meant for this purpose.

(ii) Government of India legalized MTP in 1971 with some strict conditions to avoid its misuse. Such restrictions are more important to check indiscriminate and illegal female foeticides which reported to be high in India.

(iii) MTP is used to get rid of unwanted pregnancies either due to casual unprotected intercourse or failure of the contraceptive used during coitus or rapes. MTPs are also essential in certain cases where continuation of the pregnancy could be harmful or even fatal either to the mother or to the foetus or both. MTPs are considered relatively safe during the first trimester (up to 12 weeks of pregnancy). 2nd trimester abortions are much more risky. Another dangerous trend is the misuse of amniocentesis to determine the sex of unborn child.

(iv) Amniocentesis is a foetal sex determination test based on the chromosomal pattern in the amniotic fluid surrounding the developing embryo. Amniocentesis is employed for determining hereditary abnormality in embryo.

Statutory ban on amniocentesis for sex-determination to legally Check:

(i) Increasing female foeticides,

(ii) Massive child immunisation.