Karnataka government has taken a decision to regulate infertility clinics and MRI (magnetic resonance investigation) centres following Centre's order to bring in such establishments under scanner to prevent the pre-natal sex determination techniques that are on the rise in the State. It is now mandatory for the State government to take on the registration of the infertility clinics and those laboratories which offer MRI services (known to aid the detection of sex) because of a gazette order by government of India seeking execution of the recent amendment to the PNDT Act 1994 which was introduced early this year. A three-member panel has been identified under the new law and a State supervisory committee headed by the health and family welfare minister is expected to be formed in a month.

Following an investigation by the department of health and family welfare, government of India during the end of 2002, it was found that infertility clinics can determine sex of the foetus well before conception. The pre-natal diagnostic techniques (PNDT) which is a regulation and prevention of misuse Act of government of India 1994, determines this under the sex selection category and all such clinics treating infertility cases and labs offering MRI services should register with the State government, informed Dr. RK Kumarswamy, project director, RCH and communicable diseases, department of health and family welfare, government of Karnataka.

Prior to the amendment of the PNDT Act, the government called to regulate only PNDT services which included ultrasound scans, genetic tests and foetalscopy but was not stringent about the sex determination before conception. The new addition in the PNDT Act now bans sex selection this test before conception.

It is gathered that for having a male child, infertility clinics select 'Y' sperms which are the male sperms in the laboratory and conduct an artificial insemination which usually has an over 50 percent success rate. Another way to find out the sex is to test them after the fertilised egg is around 10-days old which will help couples to go ahead with the pregnancy, informed Dr. Manorama Thomas, chairperson, advisory council, PNDT Act, government of Karnataka. Dr. Thomas who is also a qualified geneticist stated that the addition of the new law would help curb the PNDT practise further.

There has been a considerable decline in the female baby population in Karnataka from the census figures of 2001 where it is revealed that the figure is 949 per 1000 compared to 960 per 1000 in 1999.

The government of Karnataka has conducted a rigorous investigation drive to ensure that all the laboratories offering services of ultrasound scans and genetic tests are registered in order to be recognised for patients to avail the service. Although in Bangalore, clinics are registered, there seems to be cases of such services being offered in the northern districts in the State where medical practitioners go around in mobile vans in the remote villages to conduct the sex determination tests among pregnant women. A hefty fine and five-year imprisonment has been rendered to some of the violators, informed sources from the health and family welfare department. The law violators of infertility and MRI centres will also be applicable to similar punishments, said Dr. Kumarswamy.