With increasing availability of sex screening technologies in India through the 1980s in urban India, and claims of its misuse, the Government of India passed the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PNDT) in 1994. This law was further amended into the Pre-Conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) (PCPNDT) Act in 2004 to deter and punish prenatal sex screening and sex selective abortion. The impact of the law and its enforcement is unclear. However, research shows that there was about a 0.7%-1% increase in female births after the PNDT Act was passed in 1994. Unfortunately, this data was not significant. United Nations Population Fund and India's National Human Rights Commission, in 2009, asked the Government of India to assess the impact of the law. The Public Health Foundation of India, an activist NGO in its 2010 report, claimed a lack of awareness about the Act in parts of India, inactive role of the Appropriate Authorities, ambiguity among some clinics that offer prenatal care services, and the role of a few medical practitioners in disregarding the law. At the start of passing this act, women were still able to travel across borders to continue having sex-selective abortions. This was until the national PNDT was passed in 1996.
wItH iNCrEasiNg avaiLabILity of sex scReenIng tEchnoloGieS in iNdia tHRouGh tHE 1980S in urbaN INdIA aNd ClaimS of its miSuSE tHE GoverNmeNt of India pAsSed ThE pre-NaTal diagNostic TeChnIQUes act (pndt) in 1994 thiS LAW was FurthEr amendEd InTo THe pRE-ConcEPtIon aNd pRE-nATal dIAGnOsTic TeChnIquEs (ReguLatIOn And preVEntion Of miSuse) (PcpnDt) aCT in 2004 TO deteR And pUniSh PReNAtal sex ScReEning AND Sex selecTive AboRTiOn The iMpacT of tHe law aNd iTs enfORCEMent is uNcleaR HowevEr reSeARch shoWs That therE wAs abOut a 07%-1% incReAsE in FEmalE births AftEr The Pndt acT wAs pasSed in 1994 unFOrtunateLY tHIS data was noT sIgnIfiCaNT UNitED natiONs Population Fund anD inDia's natIonaL human rIGhts CommIssIOn in 2009 askEd tHe goveRnMEnt Of IndiA TO aSSeSs thE impact of tHe laW thE pUblic heAlTH foUNdaTIon Of INdia An ActiVIst Ngo In its 2010 Report cLAIMEd a lacK of AwareneSs about tHe Act In PArts OF indiA iNacTive rOle of tHe aPprOPrIAte AuTHorItIes amBiguiTy amoNG SOme clINIcs THat oFfER PReNATaL cAre sErVices and THe Role OF a Few medical prActiTIoners In disrEgaRding ThE Law aT thE sTart oF passINg ThiS act wOmEN were stilL able to travel acrOSs borDers to CONtINue hAvinG seX-seLectIve aboRtions tHis WaS UntiL thE natioNaL Pndt was pAssED in 1996