DNA test now being used to determine sex of foetus

Cell free fetal DNA blood test being misused to determine the sex of a foetus, should be brought under purview of PCPNDT Act, government urged

A new sex determination racket is going on in city these days. A ‘Cell free fetal DNA’ blood test is used to determine chromosomal disorders like Down Syndrome, and other birth defects in a foetus. But this blood test is being used to determine the sex of a foetus.

 Having realised how people are misusing this test, a Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health department officer has written to the state health authorities, informing them that unscrupulous elements may be using the test to determine the sex of a foetus, and therefore the test should be brought under the purview of Pre-Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act.

 Cell free fetal DNA test, commonly known as cffDNA, is a simple blood test of a pregnant mother to analyse bits of fetal DNA that have leaked into her bloodstream. The sample of the woman’s blood is taken after six weeks of pregnancy, and measures the relative amount of free fetal DNA that have leaked into her bloodstream. According to sources, the test intended to uncover genetically disorders, congenital diseases in brain, kidney and muscles of a foetus, is being misused in advanced laboratories in the city, most of which are associated with corporate hospitals.

The test which costs Rs 30,000–40,000, entails doctors inserting a needle into the womb to collect a sample of cells that contain the fetal DNA. It is used to analyse DNA and chromosome of the fetus. But, at the same time, if the mother, her husband or relative wishes, they can come to know of the sex chromosomes, like xx (female) and xy (male) through the test.

 Senior health officials allege that upper middle class couples working in IT companies, who want a boy child, are using the method to know the sex of their fetus, and if the fetus is of a girl, they are undergoing Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP). The officials also blame such malpractices for the difference in sex ratio.

 The sex determination racket is becoming rampant by the day, and it has connections abroad. Sources says that blood samples are sent abroad to know the sex. After this, if the couple want to abort the foetus, they travel to Thailand or Malaysia, and the Indian government does not take any action on such abortions.

Since the PCPNDT Act is stringently implemented, people are now using cffDNA tests.

An ultrasound sonography test can determinate the sex of a foetus only after 12 weeks of pregnancy, but the cffDNA test can determine it in six weeks.

Sassoon General Hospital gynecology department professor Dr Ramesh Bhosale said that the cffDNA test can be misused, and that it can be done at advanced labs in the city and outside the country, but he was not sure about its misuse.

After PMC health department’s internal advisory committee report regarding the misuse of the test, PMC wrote a letter to the additional director of health services, family welfare, Pune, and asked for his opinion on December 4, 2012. When they didn’t get receive any reply from them, they sent a third and final reminder in February 2015.

The letter states, “Cell free fetal DNA is a new prenatal diagnosis method that is used to study the common chromosomal problems. This DNA is of fetal origin and is present in maternal blood and can be detected from very early pregnancy, six weeks onward. With modern genetic technology, this DNA can be used to diagnose chromosomal disorders like Down Syndrome, Edward Syndrome etc. However this technology and investigation is being offered by some laboratories from outside cities and states. As these techniques are not available in our country. and as this investigation has very serious implications in very early sex selection, we wish to have your guidance about the laboratories marketing this technology.”

Additional director of health services of family welfare, Pune, Dr Archana Patil, said, “There was a discussion in the board committee meeting on this point. I will look into the letter sent by PMC health department and seek appropriate action.”