Haryana Requires IVF Approval for Couples with Daughters

Chandigarh — In a controversial but strikingly symbolic move, the Haryana government now requires couples with one or more daughters to obtain prior approval before undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). Announced by the State Task Force on sex ratio issues, the new rule mandates that such couples must first seek permission from the District Appropriate Authority before proceeding with IVF.

This move comes amid growing concern over Haryana’s skewed sex ratio at birth—the numbers dropped to a worrying 910 girls per 1,000 boys in 2024, recording an eight-year low  The state has long been a focal point of gender-based birth disparities, prompting urgent action under its ongoing BBBP (Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao) campaign.

The IVF approval condition is aimed at preventing misuse of advanced reproductive technologies for sex selection. There are concerns that mechanisms like Pre-implantation Genetic Testing (PGT), available during IVF procedures, can be exploited to determine a child’s sex. Health officials worry this could further deepen the gender imbalance if left unchecked. To guard against such practices, couples must now apply to the District Appropriate Authority (DAA)—usually headed by the Deputy Commissioner and supported by the Chief Medical Officer—for clearance before beginning IVF treatment

Supporters of the policy view it as a responsible step to curb gender-biased reproduction in a state where cultural preference for sons still runs deep. The measure is seen as reinforcing the legal and social frameworks—such as the PCPNDT Act—that prohibit sex determination and encourage equitable treatment for the girl child

But this policy is also sparking debate over reproductive rights. Critics argue that the regulation imposes administrative overreach, adding emotional and logistical burden on couples already facing fertility struggles. They also fear it might drive desperate couples toward unsafe or unregulated clinics outside Haryana

Moreover, civil liberties advocates caution that focusing only on couples with daughters could appear discriminatory and could intrude into private reproductive choices. Questions about the balance between social equity and individual rights are now being fervently discussed.

Still, authorities appear steadfast that the measure is necessary to reverse decades of gender bias, especially given that certain districts in Haryana recorded sex ratios below 800 girls per 1,000 boys . Similar initiatives—like reverse-tracking of abortions beyond 12 weeks and registration enforcement of pregnancies—are also being strengthened as part of this comprehensive crackdown on female foeticide

As the policy rolls out, the spotlight turns to the DAA’s implementation across districts and whether this approach will truly recalibrate Haryana’s gender imbalance—without sidelining couples already facing one of the most stressful journeys life can bring.