A UK government report has found an imbalance in birth sex ratios among Indian-origin families, raising fears of sex-selective abortions. From 2017 to 2021, the sex ratio for Indian families with three or more children was 113 boys per 100 girls. This is well above the normal upper limit of 107 and is based on 15,401 births. Across the UK, the average is 105.4 boys to 100 girls, which is within the global normal range of 102 to 106. The report stated, "This may indicate that sex selective abortions are taking place." It estimated nearly 400 sex-selective abortions of female foetuses among Indian-origin families with two or more previous births in England and Wales during the five years. There were 13,843 abortions in the same period involving Indian-origin women who had two or more prior births. The cultural preference for sons, tied to inheritance and family pressures common in parts of South Asia, may be influencing this trend in the UK as well. A health spokesperson said, "This govt’s position is unequivocal. Sex-selective abortion is illegal in England and Wales and will not be tolerated. 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. Anyone with evidence that this illegal practice is occurring must report it to the police."