British MPs are set to propose a new bill to deal with the problem of gender-based abortions that leads to the killing of girl foetuses largely among British families with their roots in the Indian sub-continent.
Research by the UK Department of Health found no evidence of a high ratio of boys in such communities but campaigners say there is growing anecdotal evidence that gender abortions are secretly being conducted.
Termination on the basis of gender is illegal under the Abortion Act 1967, but guidance issued by the British Medical Association (BMA) says there "may be circumstances in which termination of pregnancy on the grounds of foetal sex would be lawful" if the mother's physical or mental health may be compromised.
Abortion on the grounds of sex for specific inherited medical conditions is lawful but two doctors must agree before any abortion is carried out.
The new bill to be tabled this week is intended to highlight that some doctors are flouting the law on gender abortions, 'The Sunday Times' reported.
A study by Sylvie Dubuc, from the department of social policy and intervention at Oxford University, which found that the ratio of boys to girls for Indian-born mothers having their third child was 114:100, far higher than the ratio for all women of 104:100.
Dubuc, whose study in 2007 examined 23.4m births over a 15-year period up to 2005, is updating her research.
"We calculated 1,500 'missing' baby girls over a 15-year period," she told the newspaper.
"So based on the findings of the 2007 study, and in the absence of strong evidence for the most recent years, the maximum number of estimated 'missing' girls is likely to be about 100 per year. But we need more data to clarify the current situation."
]Fiona Bruce, the Conservative MP who has drawn up the bill to be presented on Tuesday, said: "Under current legislation, the BMA cannot be obliged to abide by the government's interpretation of the law. The bill would remove all doubt".
