Topic: Medical termination of pregnancy including legal aspects
Question: What is objective of Pre Conception Pre Natal
Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act? What are the forms that must be filled by the attending doctor while carrying out a prenatal ultrasound. What are the legal provisions for punishment prescribed under the Act?
Click here for Reference Material-This material is informational alone and is not specifically prepared as an answer for any question. Readers may do their own research before finalising diagnoses according to the characteristics unique to each question. Readers should not proceed without cross-referencing with relevant textbooks as well as standard guidelines available.
The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act of India was enacted in 1994 to address the issue of female feticide and improve the declining child sex ratio. The primary objectives of the PCPNDT Act are:
- Prevent sex determination: The Act aims to prevent the misuse of pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic techniques for the purpose of sex determination, leading to sex-selective abortions.
- Regulate the use of techniques: It seeks to regulate and control the use of diagnostic techniques for prenatal sex determination and ensure that these techniques are not used for illegal and unethical practices.
- Promote the registration of diagnostic centers: The Act encourages the registration of diagnostic centers to ensure that they adhere to ethical practices and follow the legal guidelines.
As for the forms that must be filled by the attending doctor while carrying out a prenatal ultrasound, the PCPNDT Act mandates the filling of Form F. This form includes details of the pregnant woman, her medical history, and the reasons for conducting the diagnostic procedure. It also includes a declaration by the pregnant woman stating that she does not want to know the sex of the fetus.
Filling Form F
- Two copies of Form F to be filled-
- 1 given to Appropriate Authority
- 1 kept at USG clinic for 2 years
- If online Form F submission done-
- Printout of online form to be kept at USG clinic with patient’s signature
- OR another Form F is to be preserved at the clinic
- Form F should be signed by doctor doing the USG and not owner of centre
- Three signatures of doctor are required on Form F and two signatures of patient
Other Forms under PCPNDT
- Form A – Registration of imaging centre or renewal of registration
- Form B – Certificate of registration (to be displayed at the clinic)
- Form C – Rejection of registration of imaging centre
- Form D – Form for maintenance of records by genetic counselling centre
- Form E – Form for maintenance of records by genetic laboratory
- Form G – Consent form for prenatal invasive diagnostic techniques
- Form H – Form for permanent maintenance of application for grant / rejection of registration
Legal provisions for punishment under the PCPNDT Act include:
- Penalties for contravention: Any person who contravenes the provisions of the Act, including conducting prenatal diagnostic procedures for sex determination, can be penalized.
- Cancellation of registration: The Act provides for the suspension or cancellation of the registration of a diagnostic center if it is found to be involved in sex determination activities.
- Imprisonment and fines: Violations of the PCPNDT Act can lead to imprisonment for a term that may extend to three years and a fine that may extend to ten thousand rupees for the first offense. Subsequent offenses may result in higher penalties.
It’s essential for healthcare professionals and diagnostic centers to comply with the PCPNDT Act to prevent sex-selective practices and contribute to the improvement of the child sex ratio in India.
Medicivils Medical Science Optional Test Series: Better Than UPSC Medico? Introduction The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the most competitive exams in the world. The Medical Science optional is a popular choice for many candidates, as it covers a wide range of topics that are relevant to the UPSC syllabus. There are many different test series available for the Medical Science optional, but one of the most popular is the Medicivils test series. Medicivils is a coaching institute that specializes in the Medical Science optional, and their test series is known for its high quality and comprehensive coverage of the syllabus. In this article, we will compare the Medicivils Medical Science Optional Test Series to the UPSC Medico Test Series, and discuss why Medicivils is the better choice for UPSC CSE aspirants. Quality of Questions The quality of the questions in the Medicivils test series is very high. The questions are well-drafted and cover a wide range of topics from the syllabus. The questions are also challenging enough to test the candidates’ knowledge and understanding of the subject. The UPSC Medico test series, on the other hand, has been criticized for the quality of its questions. Some candidates have complained that the questions are too repetitive and do not adequately cover the syllabus. Comprehensiveness The Medicivils test series covers the entire Medical Science syllabus in great detail. The test series includes full-length tests, subject-wise tests, and topic-wise tests. This ensures that the candidates are thoroughly prepared for all aspects of the exam. The UPSC Medico test series, on the other hand, is not as comprehensive. The test series does not cover all of the topics in the syllabus in equal detail. Additionally, the test series does not include any topic-wise tests. Model Answer Sheets The Medicivils test series provides high-quality model answer sheets for all of its tests. The model answer sheets are written by experienced faculty members and provide detailed explanations for all of the questions. The UPSC Medico test series, on the other hand, does not provide model answer sheets for all of its tests. Even for the tests that do have model answer sheets, the quality is often not up to par. Personal Mentorship Medicivils offers personal mentorship to all of its students. The students can get their papers evaluated by experienced faculty members and receive personalized feedback. This helps the students to identify their strengths and weaknesses and to improve their performance. The UPSC Medico test series does not offer personal mentorship to its students. The students do not have the opportunity to get their papers evaluated by experienced faculty members and receive personalized feedback. Video Solutions Medicivils provides video solutions for all of its subject-wise tests. The video solutions are taught by experienced faculty members and provide detailed explanations for all of the questions. The UPSC Medico test series does not provide video solutions for its tests. Evaluation Medicivils evaluates the students’ papers within 7 days. The students’ papers are evaluated by experienced faculty members and they receive a detailed evaluation report. The UPSC Medico test series takes longer to evaluate the students’ papers. The students often have to wait for 10-15 days to receive their evaluation reports. Conclusion Overall, the Medicivils Medical Science Optional Test Series is the better choice for UPSC CSE aspirants. The Medicivils test series offers high-quality questions, comprehensive coverage of the syllabus, model answer sheets, personal mentorship, video solutions, and prompt evaluation. The UPSC Medico test series, on the other hand, has been criticized for the quality of its questions, lack of comprehensive coverage of the syllabus, lack of model answer sheets, lack of personal mentorship, lack of video solutions, and delayed evaluation. If you are serious about cracking the UPSC CSE with the Medical Science optional, then the Medicivils Medical Science Optional Test Series is the best choice for you.
