Keep baby's sex secret to prevent gender-based abortions, doc says

[Irishonly]

Doctors should not tell pregnant women the sex of their baby until 30 weeks into a pregnancy, one physician is arguing, taking a stance that is sure to be controversial.

By not revealing a fetus' sex, doctors could prevent abortions related to the sex of the baby, according to Dr. Rajendra Kale, interim editor-in-chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The practice of "sex selection," or the aborting of female fetuses because of a preference for sons, is an issue in several Asian countries, and may also be done by some immigrants in Canada and the United States, Kale said.


"A pregnant woman being told the sex of the fetus at ultrasonography at a time when an unquestioned abortion is possible is the starting point" of sex selection, Kale wrote in the editorial published online in the lastest issue of CMAJ.

http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/16/10168064-keep-babys-sex-secret-to-prevent-gender-based-abortions-doc-says

Controversial???? I am saddened by selective abortions but male dominated governments set the stage. I wonder how often selective abortions are done in either Canada or the US. My gut tells me it is not often. What do you think?

[CTyankee]

1. I don't know how you could tell whether an abortion is or is not for sex selection if the woman

doesn't volunteer the information. If she doesn't reveal her reason or gives another reason then she is perfectly within her rights to do so. We can't study what we don't know...

[uppityperson]

2. They also shouldn't tell them if there are genetic or will be other defects because, after all,

even those children are deserving. Right? I was told "shame on me" for saying I would have had an abortion if my child had shown severe defects, but it would have been the right choice for me. For someone else, they might chose differently. The choice is up to the pregnant woman. Period.

While I personally never understood caring about the sex, so long as he/she were healthy, I know others do. I don't know how often this happens and still believe that the choice is up to the pregnant woman.

[Control-Z]

3. Since when is it anyones business

why a woman chooses a legal abortion? She doesn't need a "good" reason. That she chooses the abortion is all the reason she needs.

[uppityperson]

4. That is the gist of it Once you start ruling for "good" reason, it can get very very very odd.

Talking about slippery slope thing. Which is an argument that often doesn't hold water, to mix metaphors, but in this case it does.

[MH1]

5. Exactly. nt

[Tumbulu]

6. agree 100% (nt)

[rebecca_herman]

7. One issue, from what I understand

is that in certain cultural groups, sometimes women are very, very heavily pressured by husbands and relatives to abort if it's another girl, even if the woman herself does not want to abort.

[uppityperson]

8. Do you think some cultural groups should be prohibited from knowing the sex?

[rebecca_herman]

9. No, a ban would have to be for everyone

I don't agree with banning it in this country, but I can understand why countries that are starting to see really bad population imbalances at birth would decide to do so.

[fightforfreedom123]

10. Head slamming

Sex is not Gender.

I do not want gender selective abortion banned on a state or federal level.

Imagine a Democrat running for political office:

"She had an abortion. She killed the baby because she was a girl. We must ban all abortions!"