UK report: Sex-selective abortions spark concerns

An analysis from the UK's Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) found a "statistically significant imbalance" in the ratio of boys and girls born to Indian parents in Britain.

Key Takeaways:

• The analysis found that 400 baby girls may have been aborted based on their sex from 2017 to 2021.

• Sex-selective abortion appears to be more common in third pregnancies.

• While the UK government stands firm that sex-selective abortions are illegal, the UK's largest abortion business says that the law allows such abortions.

The Details:

The report indicates that sex-selective abortions are being committed in Britain and that about 400 baby girls may have been aborted based on their sex "over the five-year period from 2017 to 2021."

The analysis shows that women of Indian origin have a sex ratio similar to the national average of 105 boys to 100 girls when it comes to first and second born children. But when it comes to their third child, the ratio jumps to 113 boys to 100 girls.

"There is a lot of burden on the woman to give birth to a male, even more so if she has given birth to one or two girls," said Rani Bilkhu, founder of Jeena International. "Pressure is imposed by the in-laws and the husband."

Dame Jasvinder Sanghera, an anti-forced marriage activist, explained that the practice of dowry means "girls immediately become a financial burden" to their parents.

A spokesperson from the DHSC noted that sex-selective abortion is against the law. "This Government's position is unequivocal: sex-selective abortion is illegal in England and Wales and will not be tolerated," said the spokesperson. "Sex is not a lawful ground for termination of pregnancy, and it is a criminal offence for any practitioner to carry out an abortion for that reason alone."

He added, "Anyone with evidence that this illegal practice is occurring must report it to the police immediately. We continue to work closely with providers to ensure that abortions are only performed in accordance with the strict legal grounds set out in the Abortion Act."

But not everyone is bothered by the information in the report or the idea that sex-selective abortions are being committed. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), the UK's largest abortion business, argued that aborting a baby girl because she is a girl is not illegal.

"The law is silent on the matter," according to The Sunday Times, the BPAS website states. "Reason of foetal sex is not a specified ground for abortion within the Abortion Act, but nor is it specifically prohibited."

BPAS spokesperson Katie Saxon doubled down, saying, "As our website correctly states, foetal sex is not mentioned in abortion law in the UK. The reasons women may seek abortion care are diverse and complex, and our experience caring for more than 100,000 women every year is that it is vanishingly rare for any woman to seek an abortion on the grounds of foetal sex. However, as the DHSC itself recognises, there are instances - such as serious health conditions specific to one sex - where foetal sex may form a part of both women's and doctors' decision-making."

BPAS commits nearly half the abortions in the UK, and made £64 million in 2024-2025, £63 million of which came from the National Health Service.

Sanghera said BPAS and other abortionists must “stop turning a blind eye because of cultural sensitivities or the fear of being accused of racism." She noted that it is "without a shadow of a doubt" that sex-selective abortions are on the rise.

Why it Matters:

Gendercide, the systemic killing of girls, has been a major issue among certain cultures, including Indian and Chinese cultures, for generations. Sex-selective abortion (female feticide) is an abortion carried out with the intent to eliminate a child who is not the sex the parents want. But it doesn't just happen in India and China as many people believe. It appears to be happening in the UK, and a Live Action investigation into the matter found that it occurs in the US as well. Everywhere it is carried out, it leads to skewed sex ratios.

It is never acceptable to target a human being for death, and to kill a baby girl because she is a baby girl is horrifically discriminatory.