Sex-selective abortion

An induced abortion performed because the fetus is identified as having a particular sex. It is most often discussed in contexts where social preference for one sex shapes reproductive decisions.

Prenatal sex determination: The identification of fetal sex before birth using imaging or genetic testing. It can supply the information that precedes a sex-selective abortion.
Sex ratio at birth: The ratio of male to female live births in a population. Marked deviations from expected ratios can signal sex selection, though they do not prove its cause.
Preconception sex selection: Methods used before pregnancy to influence the likelihood that a child will be a particular sex. It pursues sex selection without ending an established pregnancy.
Missing women: A demographic term for women absent from a population because of excess female mortality or sex selection. Sex-selective abortion can contribute to this population-level disparity.
Ultrasound: An imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of structures inside the body. Ultrasound can reveal fetal sex during pregnancy, depending on timing and image quality.
China's one-child policy: A set of Chinese population policies, especially the restriction on most couples having one child, enforced from 1979 to 2015. Its interaction with son preference and prenatal sex identification intensified concern about sex selection.
Sex-selective abortion in India: The practice and public debate concerning abortion based on fetal sex in India. India's law and demographic evidence provide a prominent national case.
Gender inequality: Unequal treatment, status, or opportunities associated with gender. Sex-selective abortion reflects and can reinforce unequal valuation of girls and women.
Noninvasive prenatal testing: A maternal blood test that analyzes cell-free DNA to screen for certain fetal chromosomal conditions. Its DNA analysis can also disclose fetal sex early in pregnancy.
Female infanticide: The intentional killing of a female infant after birth. It is a distinct practice sometimes discussed alongside prenatal selection and gender discrimination.

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Population controlRelated: Son preference and fertility limits have contributed to sex imbalances in some populations.