Traditional Chinese techniques have been used to determine sex for hundreds of years, primarily with unknown accuracy. It was not until ultrasonography became widely available in urban and rural China that sex was able to be determined scientifically. In 1986, the Ministry of Health posted the Notice on Forbidding Prenatal Sex Determination, but it was not widely followed.Ministry of Health and State Family Planning Commission.1986. "Notice on strictly forbidding prenatal sex determination," reprinted in Peng Peiyun(ed.), 1997, Family Planning Encyclopedia of China. Beijing: China Population Press, p. 939. Three years later, the Ministry of Health outlawed the use of sex determination techniques, except for in diagnosing hereditary diseases.Ministry of Health. 1989. "Urgent notice on strictly forbidding the use of medical technology to perform prenatal sex determination," reprinted in Peng Peiyun (ed.), 1997, Family Planning Encyclopedia of China. Beijing: China Population Press, pp. 959–960. Individuals or clinics that violated the ban on prenatal determination at the request of the mother were subject to financial penalties, and the ban was repeatedly affirmed in the 1980s, early 1990s, and early 2000s. However, many people have personal connections to medical practitioners and strong son preference still dominates culture, leading to the widespread use of sex determination techniques.
Traditional Chinese techniques have been used to determine sex for hundreds of years, primarily with unknown accuracy. It was not until ultrasonography became widely available in urban and rural China that sex was able to be determined scientifically. In 1986, the Ministry of Health posted the Notice on Forbidding Prenatal Sex Determination, but it was not widely followed.Ministry of Health and State Family Planning Commission.1986. "Notice on strictly forbidding prenatal sex determination," reprinted in Peng Peiyun(ed.), 1997, Family Pla!nning Encyclopedia of China. Beijing: China Population Press, p. 939. Three years later, the Ministry of Health outlawed the use of sex determination techniques, except. for in diagnosing hereditary diseases.Ministry of Health. 1989. "Urgent notice on strictly forbidding the use of medical technology to perform prenatal sex det?ermination," reprinted in Peng Peiyun (ed.), 1997, Family Planning Encyclopedia of China. Beijing: China Population Press, pp. 959–960. Individuals or clinics that violated the ban on prenatal determination at the request of the mother were subject to financial penalties, and the ban was repeatedly affirmed in the 1980s, early 1990s, and early 2000s. However, many people have ,personal connections to m,edical practitioners and strong son preference still dominates culture, leading to the widespread use of sex determination techniques.