Chandigarh, Dec 29 (IANS): Health authorities in Haryana have cracked down on quacks who have been selling so-called herbal medicines to pregnant women by saying that these will ensure they give birth to a male child.

National Health Mission's mission director-cum-commissioner (Food and Drug Administration) Rakesh Gupta Sunday said 15 criminal cases have been registered against unregistered medical practitioners (quacks) Saturday and six quacks have been arrested.

"The FDA has launched a special drive to combat the menace of quackery. So far, more than 100 FIRs have been against the quacks in the state," Gupta said.

The highest number of cases have been registered in Faridabad (23), Jhajjar (21) and Mewat (21).

Gupta said that recent studies by the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak had revealed that couples having two or more girls were taking "Su badalne ki dawai" from the quacks in the first trimester for having a male child but this only resulted in still births and congenital malformation in infants.

The quacks were giving "shivalinga" and "majuphal" during 8-10 weeks of pregnancy, which resulted in still births and congenital birth defects.

"It has been found during the research that the pregnant women taking shivalinga and majuphal given by quacks have three times more chances of still birth and congenital malformation," Gupta said.

The health authorities have directed all civil surgeons to identify such quacks and register cases against them. Gupta said the actions of the quacks were resulting in increase in infant mortality rate in the state.