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 If the doc says “sweet”, it’s going to be a boy. Doctors use secret signals to give away the sex of the child when it is still in the mother’s womb.
Telling parents the sex of the foetus is a crime under the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technologies Act, but MiD DAY found that doctors have found ways out.
The most common code words are khara and sweet. Khara (spicy) means the woman is going to give birth to a girl. The code words betray a patriarchal slant, and point to the desperate Indian desire for male offspring.
“After an ultrasound test, if the doctor tells the couple to get some sweets, it means they’ll have a boy,” said a doctor. To say it’s going to be a girl, doctors say mixture (spicy condiment).
Doctors also use positive and negative signs, and red and green ink as indicators.
“In some clinics they write the report in red if it’s a boy and in green if it’s a girl. But this happens only if the doctor knows the patient well,” said a doctor who did not wish to be named.
“Small polyclinics add to their income by giving away the sex of the baby in the womb,” said a doctor who works for a big hospital.
The punishment for telling the sex of a child is harsh under the PNDT Act.
“After the fifth month if you go for an ultrasound, doctors and experienced nurses can make out whether it’s a boy or a girl,” said Dr Kumar, consultant, pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic techniques, department of health.
“Though parents are also allowed to view the images, a lay person cannot make out whether it’s a boy or a girl,” said Dr Kumar.
Concerned doctors say that nurses and lab technicians, besides doctors, should be aware of their responsibilities.
“During our national, zonal or regional meetings we make all doctors, especially sonologists, take an oath not to disclose the sex of the foetus,” said Dr V C Shanmuganandan, president, IMA, Bangalore chapter.
Psychiatrists assert the law breaking reflects attitudes prevalent in society.
“It’s a shame to see such things still happen. It also explains the increasing dowry rates,” said Dr C R Chandrashekar, professor and deputy medical superintendent, Nimhans.
What's this PNDT Act?
The Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994, came into effect on January 1, 1996, mainly to check female foeticide.
It prohibits disclosure of the sex of the foetus, and prescribes punishment for those who violate the law.
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