However, abortion is accepted by Hindus and Sikhs if essential to preserve the life of the mother. Furthermore, the religious prohibition of abortion is sometimes at odds with the cultural preference for sons. For Mr. and Mrs. S, the desire for a son outweighs the stance of their religion against abortion. Case 2 Mr. K affirms his religious belief in the sanctity of life and insists on maximum medical intervention. She requires minimal medical intervention and leaves the hospital at age 10 days.
Karyotyping results are normal.
In this example, it might have been easy to allow the cultural bias against female babies to prevail. Each author contributed equally to the research for and writing of this paper. References Dr. Coward is Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, and a specialist in Cross-Cultural Ethics and South Asian religions. This article has been peer reviewed. The principal Upanisads .