Awareness and practice of prenatal gender determination among pregnant women undertaking anatomic scan at a tertiary hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Prenatal gender determination is performed for both medical and social reasons. While it can help diagnose sex-linked disorders, its use for non-medical purposes raises ethical and social concerns. Despite increasing demand for gender disclosure during ultrasound examinations, no study has been conducted in Ethiopia to assess the awareness and practice of pregnant women toward this issue. Objectives: To determine the awareness sand practice of gender determination among pregnant women undertaking anatomic scan at SPHMMC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Methods and Materials: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with an interviewer administered interview questionnaire on 311 mothers, who were selected by A convenience sampling method from women who came for anatomic scan at Saint Paul's hospital millennium medical college from July to September, 2025 G.C. Binary and multivariable logistic regression was used for analysis, and statistical significance was declared at a P value <0.05 in multivariable logistic regression and the Odds ratio was used to determine the effect of association between dependent and independent variables with 95% CI. Results: Out of 303 women (97.5% response rate), 89.6% were aware that ultrasound can determine fetal gender, and 88.8% identified it as the main method. A total of 72.6% wanted to know their baby’s gender, and 78.9% had undergone gender determination in the current pregnancy. Nearly three-fourths (76.9%) had a gender preference, mostly for a male child (73.6%). Higher awareness was associated with receiving information from friends or relatives (AOR = 5.0), knowing ultrasound is not only for gender determination (AOR = 10.43), and being offered the option to know the gender (AOR = 11.8) Conclusion: Awareness of prenatal gender determination by ultrasound was found to be high among the study population. Information from health care providers and being offered gender disclosure during the scan were key factors influencing awareness. Keywords: Awareness, Knowledge, and practice, Female feticide, Gender preference, fetal gender, preference and disclosure, prenatal ultrasonography