![Open Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltextgreen.png)
![Restricted Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltextred.png)
![Open Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltextgreen.png)
![Open Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltext_open_medium.gif)
![Restricted Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltextred.png)
![Restricted Access](https://i-scholar.in/lib/pkp/templates/images/icons/fulltext_restricted_medium.gif)
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act among Antenatal Mothers at Maternity Centre, Coimbatore
Subscribe/Renew Journal
The preference for a son continues to be a prevalent norm in the traditional Indian household. This is evident from the declining sex ratio which has dropped to alarming levels according to Census 2001 reports. In this context, we attempted to assess the knowledge of Antenatal mothers on Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act, and it is necessary to gear efforts against the cultural, economic and religious ischolar_mains of this social malady by woman empowerment and intensive Information, Education and Communication campaigns. A descriptive study was conducted among 50 antenatal mothers of selected maternity centre in Coimbatore District, Tamilnadu. The result of the study shows that Antenatal Mothers had poor knowledge on PNDT Act. The total Mean Knowledge Score was 7.42 + 3.04 with mean percentage was 37%. No significant association was found between Knowledge and Practice scores with Demographic variables. Positive Co-relation was found between Knowledge and Practice regarding PNDT Act (r=0.56, p<0.05). Analyzing education and attitude in our study group showed that increase in education is accompanied with an improvement in the attitude in these ante-natal women. None of the variables was significantly associated with attitude except knowledge (p<0.05). The study concluded that Antenatal Mothers had poor knowledge on PNDT Act. India has yet a long way to go in her fight against pre-birth elimination of females. The antenatal mothers will gain adequate knowledge and attitude through education and reinforcement towards PNDT Act. A concerted effort by the medical fraternity, the law, political leaders, NGOs, media, teachers and the community itself is the need of the hour.
Keywords
Female Feticide, Sex Ratio, Sex Determination, Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (PNDT), Communication Campaigns
Subscription
Login to verify subscription
User
Font Size
Information
- S. Ghose & S. Sarkar. Knowledge and Attitude of Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act Among the Antenatal Women – A Hospital Based Study. Journal of Community Medicine.2009; 5 (1):8-10.
- Dhaduk KM, Parmar DV, Yadav BS, Yadav S. A study on doctors’ perspective of PNDT act. Indian J Community Med .2009; 34:160-161.
- Garg S & Nath A. Female Feticide in India: Issues and Concerns. Journal of Postgraduate Medicine.2008; 54(4):276-279.
- S Puri, V Bhatia, HM Swami. Gender Preference and Awareness Regarding Sex Determination among Married Women in Slums of Chandigarh. Indian Journal of Community Medicine.2007; 32(1):11-13.
- B N Vadera, U K Joshi, S V Unadakat, B S Yadav, Sudha Yadav. Study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Regarding Gender Preference and Female Feticide Among Pregnant Women. Indian Journal of Community Medicine.2007; 32(4): 10 -12.
- Jha P, Kumar R, Vasa P, Dhingra N, Thiruchelvam D, Moineddin R. Low female-to-male sex ratio of children born in India: National survey of 1.1 million households. Lancet 2006; 367:211-8.
- Bardia, E. Paul, S. K. Kapoor, K. Anand. Declining sex ratio: role of society, Technology and Government regulation. The National Medical Journal of India. 2004; 17(4):207-209
- The Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of misuses) Act. Principal Article, Department of Family Welfare, Government of India. 1994.
- Ravindran GD. Physicians must not help parents decide the gender of their unborn Child: The case against preconception gender selection. Natl Med J India 2003; 16: 92–3.
- Census Figures of 2001.Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, New Delhi, India.
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Annual Report 2001–2002. New Delhi:Government of India; 2002:138.
![](https://i-scholar.in/public/site/images/abstractview.png)
Abstract Views: 337
![](https://i-scholar.in/public/site/images/pdfview.png)
PDF Views: 0