scholarly journals The consequences of son preference and sex-selective abortion in China and other Asian countries

2011 ◽  
Vol 183 (12) ◽  
pp. 1374-1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Hesketh ◽  
L. Lu ◽  
Z. W. Xing
Keyword(s):  
Son Preference ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Selective Abortion ◽  
Sex Selective Abortion

scholarly journals Sex ratios and ‘missing women’ among Asian minority and migrant populations in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A retrospective cohort analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Simon-Kumar ◽  
Janine Paynter ◽  
Annie Chiang ◽  
Nimisha Chabba
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Son Preference ◽  
List Type ◽  
Selective Abortion ◽  
Chinese Families ◽  
Chinese Populations ◽  
Migrant Populations ◽  
Sex Selective Abortion ◽  
Missing Women

ABSTRACTBackgroundRecent research from the UK, USA, Australia, and Canada point to male-favouring Sex Ratios at Birth (SRB) among their Asian minority populations, attributed to son preference and sex-selective abortion within these cultural groups. The present study conducts a similar investigation of SRBs among New Zealand’s Asian minority and migrant populations, who comprise 15% of the population.MethodsThe New Zealand historical census series between 1976-2013 was used to examine SRBs between ages 0-5 by ethnicity. A retrospective birth cohort in New Zealand was created using the Stats NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure from 2003-2018. A logistic regression was conducted and adjusted for selected variables of interest including visa group, parity, maternal age and deprivation. Finally, associations between family size, ethnicity and family gender composition were examined in a subset of this cohort (families with 2 or 3 children).ResultsThere was no evidence of ‘missing women’ or gender bias as indicated by a deviation from the biological norm in New Zealand’s Asian population. However, Indian and Chinese families were significantly more likely to have a third child if their first two children were females compared to two male children.ConclusionThe analyses did not reveal male-favouring SRBs or any conclusive evidence of sex-selective abortion among Indian and Chinese populations. Based on this data, we conclude that in comparison to other western countries, New Zealand’s Asian migrant populations presents as an anomaly. The larger family sizes for Indian and Chinese populations where the first two children were girls suggested potentially ‘soft’ practices of son preference.WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT-There are discrepancies in Sex Ratios at Birth (SRB) among the Asian minority migrant populations – particularly Indian and Chinese populations –in countries like Canada, UK, USA. SRBs show a pronounced number of males over female children, suggesting a widespread practice of sex-selective abortions in these communities since the 1970s.-These trends implicitly reflect social norms of gender bias through son preference, and daughter devaluation.WHAT IS BEING ADDED-The present study did not find evidence of skewed SRBs that favour boys over girls among Asian ethnicities. The analyses however did find a tendency for Indian and Chinese families to have larger families especially when the first two children were girls.-Overall, the findings suggest the absence of widespread practices of sex-selective abortion making New Zealand an anomaly relative to other migrant-receiving countries. However, there are still vestiges of son preference that are seen through decisions around family size and gender composition.

Sex-selective abortion in Vietnam during 1999-2009: the first quantitative study at national level

MedPharmRes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Truc Thi Thanh Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Social Norm ◽  
National Level ◽  
Sex Selection ◽  
Son Preference ◽  
National Data ◽  
Selective Abortion ◽  
Accurate Picture ◽  
The Social ◽  
Sex Selective Abortion ◽  
Female Values

Introduction: The sex ratio at birth has dramatically increased since 1999 in Vietnam and stood at 112.7 boys per 100 girls in 2017. This figure alarms many female fetuses are aborted for sex-selection but the numerical evidence is unknown. To depict an accurate picture about the sex-selective abortion, we conducted a study to analyze the national data for sex-abortion in Vietnam. Methods: To estimate the number of sex-selective abortions between 1999 and 2009, the 2009 Census and 1999 Life table of Vietnam were adopted. We calculated the actual number of female and male births for ten years using the reverse survival method. Then the number of sex-selective abortions was the gap between the expected and actual numbers of female births. Results: There was 217,902 sex-selective abortions, which accounted for 11.8% of all causes of abortion in Vietnam from 1999 to 2009. The number of sex-selective abortions was nearly double from 74,179 in 1999-2004 to 143,723 in 2005-2009, even the national punishments on sex-selective abortion were launched since 2003. Conclusions: Female fetuses are more likely aborted before birth for sex-selection in Vietnam because of the son preference. In the situation of Vietnam, changing the social norm regarding female values and roles in both family and society is the key solution to end this problem.

Do spouses influence each other's stated son preference?

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 561-588
Author(s):  
Marie-Claire Robitaille ◽  
Ishita Chatterjee
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Marriage Market ◽  
Son Preference ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Method Of Moment ◽  
Selective Abortion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Married Men ◽  
Sex Selective Abortion ◽  
Using Data

Purpose This paper aims to understand the motivations behind married men preferring sons and to quantify the association between a couple’s stated son preferences. Son preference is an endemic problem in India. With half a million female foetuses aborted each year, the root causes of son preference in India have been widely studied. Little is known, however, on how couples mutually decide on their desired child sex-ratio. Design/methodology/approach Using data from the third National Family and Health Survey, the authors apply three-stage least square and optimal general method of moment methods to demonstrate association. Robustness checks are performed on plausibly exogenous instrumental variables and selection issues in the marriage market. Findings The authors show that their spouse's son preference is by far the most significant factor associated with a person's own stated son preference. The association between spouse's stated son preference is observed only for couples being married for three to five years. It is postulated that this is the critical period when sex-selective abortion decisions are being made. Originality/value The focus of existing empirical studies is nearly always on the mother's son preference only. The hypothesis is that spouses mutually influence each other’s preferences and models estimating determinants of son preference should include preferences of both spouses. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to understand the motivations of married men towards preferring sons and quantify the association between spouse's stated son preference and respondent's stated son preference.

Son preference and sex-selective abortion in China: informing policy options

2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Zhou ◽  
Xiao Lei Wang ◽  
Xu Dong Zhou ◽  
Therese Hesketh
Keyword(s):  
Son Preference ◽  
Policy Options ◽  
Selective Abortion ◽  
Sex Selective Abortion

Son preference and the fertility squeeze in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-106
Author(s):  
Anna-Maria Aksan
Keyword(s):  
Fertility Transition ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Sex Selection ◽  
Son Preference ◽  
Third Order ◽  
Selective Abortion ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Sex Selective Abortion ◽  
The Village

AbstractIndia's sex ratio at birth (SRB) has become increasingly masculine, coinciding with a declining total fertility rate. Couples often resort to sex-selective abortion or even infanticide to ensure the birth of a son. We use household-level data from all four waves of India's National Family Health Survey (NFHS) to investigate the effect of India's demographic transition on the SRB. Mixed-effects logit regression analysis demonstrates that since the early 1990s, the probability of a third-order birth being male is decreasing in the number of sons previously born, while for second-order births, this effect does not become apparent until the 2000s. Accounting for geographic heterogeneity in the fertility transition, we find additional heterogeneity in son preference and sex selection at the village/neighborhood level. This heterogeneity has strengthened over time at both second- and third-order births and in more and less gender skewed regions of the country, suggesting potential convergence in sex ratios across India. By incorporating the most recent 2015–16 round of the NFHS, we demonstrate that previously documented trends in sex selection continue, and additionally that sex selection is increasingly occurring at lower parities as the desire for a smaller family combines with the traditional preference for sons.

Hi-tech Sexism? Evidence from Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazmul Hoque ◽  
Bryan L. Boulier
Keyword(s):  
Sex Determination ◽  
Birth Interval ◽  
Urban Women ◽  
Hazard Model ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Son Preference ◽  
Birth Intervals ◽  
Selective Abortion ◽  
China And India ◽  
Missing Women

AbstractWith the advent of modern technology for fetal sex determination, selective abortion is found to be responsible for a significant number of “missing women” in countries like China and India. Using a competing risk hazard model, we investigate whether son preference translates into selective abortion and accounts for any of the “missing women” in Bangladesh. Data suggest that son preference leads to shorter birth intervals if previous births are girls. For example, if the first birth is a girl, the odds of having another child each quarter is about 15% higher and the birth interval is about 2 months shorter for more educated urban women in recent years (1990–2011). However, there is no evidence that selective abortion contributes to missing women in Bangladesh.

scholarly journals PRECONCEPTION AND PRENATAL DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES ACT 1994 AND ITS MAIN ROLE TO CURB SEX DETERMINATION AND SEX SELECTION

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 75-83
Author(s):  
Vaishali Waghmare ◽  
Hema Hema
Keyword(s):  
Sex Determination ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Sex Selection ◽  
Indian Society ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Low Literacy ◽  
Selective Abortion ◽  
Prenatal Diagnostic ◽  
Sex Selective Abortion

India has a male dominated culture where women are treated like a commodity and slave. Our Indian society gives preference only to the Son not to female because of which girls' child is not heartily welcomed and discrimination against girl child still prevails. Sex selective abortion is one of major issue in recent era in relation to violence against women under which the Ultrasonography machine plays an important role of sex detection. Main  cause for sex selection are Patriarchal system, Dowry system, only son who can performs the last rites, lineage and inheritance runs through the male line, the Small family norms , PARAYADHAN, easy access to the Medical facilities and Technology for Sex Selective Abortion. Low literacy rate, low socio-economic condition of women etc. Sex selection and sex determination causes violence, impact on equilibrium of nature, Polyandry, Imbalance between Male-Female populations etc Maharashtra was first State to enact Maharashtra regulation of use of PNDT Act in 1987.  The PNDT Act was passed in 1994 Hon. Supreme Court passed an Interim judgment in 2001 for more strict implementation of Act based on PIL filed by CEHAT, MASUM and AdvSabu George PNDT Act amended in 2003 to Pre conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Technique Act (PC-PNDT)  Applicable to all Govt/NGO/Private/corporate establishments . Main purpose of Act is to ban the use of sex selection techniques before and after conception and prevent the misuse of prenatal diagnostic techniques for sex selective abortion. Every offence under this Act is cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable (Sec 27). Act has made it mandatory to maintain records of every scan done. (Section 29 and Rule 9) Section 5 and Rule 10 (1A).Implementing Authority under the Act is Appropriate Authority (Section 17) has power to search, seize and seal clinics (Section 30). The Act prohibited  communication of sex of the foetus by words, signs or in any other manner (Section 5) , advertising sex determination test in any form are liable for punishment (Section 22) .Offence under this Act punishable with imprisonment of years which extend to 5 years and fine up to 10,000 which extend up to 50,000.

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