Infanticide, Neonatology, and Reproductive Law

Flashcards covering definitions of infanticide types, signs of live birth, infant viability, child abuse syndromes, and the legal framework of the PCPNDT Act (1994).

Infanticide

The unlawful destruction of a child under the age of one year.

Foeticide

The killing of a fetus at any time prior to birth.

Female feticide

The act of aborting a fetus because it is female.

Filicide

Derived from the Latin word filius, this is the deliberate act of killing of a child by the parents.

Neonaticide

The act of killing an infant within the first $24\text{ hrs}$ of life.

Neonatal death (Deliberate)

The deliberate killing of a child within $4\text{ weeks}$ ($28\text{ days}$) of its birth.

Stillbirth

A child born after $28\text{ weeks}$ of pregnancy which did not breathe or show any other signs of life at any time after being completely born, though it was alive in utero.

Deadbirth

A child which has died in utero.

Livebirth (Indian Legal Definition)

The fetus was alive after complete birth or when at least one part of its body comes out of the mother’s womb.

Viability of the Infant

The physical ability of a fetus to lead a separate existence after birth apart from its mother; generally occurring after $210\text{ days}$ (or $180\text{ days}$ in some cases) of intrauterine life.

Precipitate Labour

Labour terminating in a very short time where delivery occurs suddenly and rapidly without the knowledge of the mother.

Acts of Commission

Positive acts done to cause the death of an infant, such as suffocation, strangulation, drowning, burning, or blunt head injury.

Acts of Omission (Neglect)

Failure of the mother to take ordinary precautions to save the child, such as failure to tie the cord, clear air-passages, or provide proper food.

Battered Baby Syndrome

Also known as non-accidental injury of childhood or Caffey's syndrome, it describes a child receiving repetitive physical injuries from a parent or guardian.

Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy

A conditions where one person (usually the mother) inflicts harm against another (usually an infant) to gain sympathy and attention for the suffering.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

The sudden and unexpected death of a seemingly healthy infant that remains unexplained after investigation, scene examination, history review, and autopsy.

PCPNDT Act, 1994

The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, enacted to stop female foeticide and ban prenatal sex determination in India.

Permissible uses of Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques

Restricted to detecting chromosomal abnormalities, genetic metabolic diseases, haemoglobinopathies, sex-linked genetic diseases, and congenital anomalies.

PCPNDT Maternal Age Condition

Prenatal diagnostic techniques may be used if the pregnant woman is above the age of $35\text{ years}$.

Chairman of the Central Supervisory Board

The Minister in charge of the Ministry or Department of Family Welfare.

PCPNDT Penalty (First Offence for Practitioner)

Imprisonment for up to $3\text{ years}$ and a fine of $10,000\text{ rupees}$; the practitioner's name is removed from the council register for $5\text{ years}$ on conviction.

PCPNDT Penalty (Subsequent Offence for Practitioner)

Imprisonment extending to $5\text{ years}$ and a fine extending to $50,000\text{ rupees}$; permanent removal from the council register on conviction.

PCPNDT Penalty (First Offence for Seeking Aid)

Imprisonment for up to $3\text{ years}$ and a fine of $50,000\text{ rupees}$ for any person seeking sex selection or prenatal diagnostic aid.

Legal Classification of PCPNDT Offences

Every offence under the act is cognizable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable.

PCPNDT Record Retention

All records and consent letters must be preserved for a period of $2\text{ years}$, or until the final disposal of any instituted criminal proceedings.