Illegal abortion of female foetuses by some ethnic groups who favour sons has reduced female population

Sex selection abortions are taking place in some ethnic communities in Britain and the practice is so widespread it has even led to a shortfall in the population of girls, an investigation has revealed.

A Government inquiry last year, following an investigation by the Daily Telegraph that found some doctors were carrying out selective abortions, concluded there was no evidence women living in the UK but born abroad were preferentially aborting girls.

But analysis of data has revealed discrepancies in the sex ratio of children in some immigrant families, suggesting sex selective abortions must be taking place.

The investigation by the Independent analysed data from the 2011 census and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to test whether having a daughter as a first child increases the chances of the second child being a boy.

Experts from Imperial College said while some of the data could be explained by the 'don't stop until you get a boy' practice, this could not explain all the findings from families of mothers born in Pakistan and Afghanistan and living in the UK.

Selective...