Drop in sex ratio of Pune city

The sex ratio of Pune city has reduced from 949 in 2020 to 913 in 2022 as per the data furnished by the health department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)

The sex ratio of Pune city has reduced from 949 in 2020 to 913 in 2022 as per the data furnished by the health department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). According to civic officials, the reason behind this decline is that many people have shifted back to their workplace after the lockdown due to which even though the pregnancies were reported in Pune, births were reported somewhere else. The sex ratio is calculated as the number of girls per 1,000 boys. In Pune city, there are only 913 girls for every 1,000 boys, as per the health department.

According to civic officials, the reason behind this decline is that many people have shifted back to their workplace after the lockdown due to which even though the pregnancies were reported in Pune, births were reported somewhere else. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Dr Kalpana Baliwant, assistant health officer and in-charge of implementation of the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) and Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Acts, PMC, confirmed the decline in sex ratio and said, “There are many reasons for this. During the pandemic, there was a rise in the sex ratio mostly because there were pregnant women who came to their homes in the city and stayed here. However, this scenario has changed ever since and that is why the drop can be seen.” There are no volunteers to carry out decoy operations, she added.

“We have information regarding illegal abortions in the city. But we need a pregnant woman as decoy to ascertain that there are sex determination tests being undertaken at these centres. However, we do not get any such volunteers to accomplish this task,” Dr Baliwant said.

Year—Sex ratio (Number of females per 1,000 males)

2019--922

2020--949

2021–910

2022–913

*Source: PMC