A new study published in the online edition of the Lancet, has found that over the past two decades around 10 million female foetuses may have been aborted in India.
The study concludes that prenatal sex determination, followed by abortion of female foetuses may be the reason for the alarming 10 million 'missing' female births.
The researchers also found that the deficit in the number of girls born as second children was more than twice as great in educated than illiterate mothers, but did not vary by religion.
Based on the natural sex ratio from other countries, the team estimated that around 13.6 to 13.8 million girls should have been born in 1997 in India. However, the actual number was 13.1 million - a deficit of 0.59 - 0.74 million female births.
The study concludes that prenatal sex determination, followed by abortion of female foetuses may be the reason for the alarming 10 million 'missing' female births.
The researchers also found that the deficit in the number of girls born as second children was more than twice as great in educated than illiterate mothers, but did not vary by religion.
Based on the natural sex ratio from other countries, the team estimated that around 13.6 to 13.8 million girls should have been born in 1997 in India. However, the actual number was 13.1 million - a deficit of 0.59 - 0.74 million female births.
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