Top

International Journal of Public Health

Published in:

01-06-2012 | Original Article

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

Authors: Chi Zhou, Xiao Lei Wang, Xu Dong Zhou, Therese Hesketh

Published in: International Journal of Public Health | Issue 3/2012

Abstract

Objectives

There is growing evidence in China that son preference is on the decline, but the sex ratio at birth is still the highest in the world at around 120 male births to 100 females. The aim of the study was to explore attitudes towards gender preference among people of reproductive age, to determine the reasons why the sex ratio is persistently high, and to inform policy options.

Methods

We conducted in-depth interviews with 212 individuals who aged from 18 to 39 in rural and urban areas of three provinces: Yunnan, Guizhou and Zhejiang.

Results

We show that while son preference has weakened considerably, it has not disappeared. The sex ratio remains high, because of this small minority of individuals, who still choose sex-selective abortion to ensure male offsprings.

Conclusions

Intensive local policy interventions have been successful in reducing the sex ratio in some areas and these should be disseminated widely. In addition, the law forbidding sex selection should be actively enforced, and the One Child Policy should be relaxed in some areas, to reduce the disproportionately high sex ratio in the second order births.

Central Intelligence Agency (2010) The world factbook. Sexratios. http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook

Chung W, Das Gupta M (2007) The decline of son preference in South Korea: the roles of development and public policy. Popul Dev Rev 33(4):757–783CrossRef

Corrigall EA, Konrad AM (2007) Gender role attitudes and careers: a longitudinal study. Sex Roles 56(11–12):847–855CrossRef

Das Gupta M, Jiang ZH, Li BH, Xie ZM, Chung WJ, Bae HO (2003) Why is son preference so persistent in East and South Asia? A cross-country study of China, India and the Republic of Korea. J Dev Studies 40:153–187CrossRef

Das Gupta M, Chung W, Li S (2009) Evidence for an incipient decline in numbers of girls in China and India. Popul Dev Rev 35(2):401–416CrossRef

Glaser B, Strauss A (1967) The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research. Aldine, Chicago

Goodkind D (1996) On substituting sex ratio strategies in east Asia: does prenatal sex selection reduce postnatal discrimination? Popul Dev Rev 22(1):111–125CrossRef

Gu SZ, Chen L (2005) Urbanization effects and gender preference. Chin J Popul Sci 3:30–37 (in Chinese)

Hesketh T, Zhu WX (2006) Abnormal sex ratios in human populations: Causes and consequences. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 36:13271–13275CrossRef

Hesketh T, Lu L, Xing ZW (2005) The effect of China’s one-child family policy after 25 years. N Engl J Med 353(11):1171–1176PubMedCrossRef

Huang QY (2008) The report of China’s 10th National Women’s Congress, 31 October, Vice-chairman of National Women’s Congress, Women Union. http://www.acwf.people.com.cn/GB/99058/8266771.html (in Chinese)

Jha P, Kumar R, Vasa P, Dhingra N, Thirichelvam D, Moineddan R (2006) Low male-to-female sex ratio of children born in India: national survey of 1.1 million households. Lancet 367:211–218PubMedCrossRef

Li Y (2000) Women’s movement and change of women’s status in China. J Int Womens Studies 1:1–20

Li SZ, Yan SH (2008) A special study on the “Care for Girls” campaign. Popul Family Planning 10:23–24 (in Chinese)

Lin T (2009) The decline of son preference, rise of gender indifference in Taiwan since 1990. Demogr Res 20(16):377–402CrossRef

Luo WX, Li JX (2007) Women status and fertility decision. Market Demogr Anal 7:246–254 (in Chinese)

Mo LX (2005) The fertility desire situation of rural residents in China. Popul Res 29(2):62–68

National Bureau of Statistics of China (2009) http://www.stats.gov.vn

Park CB, Cho NH (1995) Consequences of son preference in a low-fertility society: imbalance of the SRB in Korea. Popul Dev Rev 21(1):59–84CrossRef

Qu JD, Hesketh T (2006) Family size, sex ratio and fertility preferences in the era of the one child policy: results from the national family planning and reproductive health survey. BMJ 333:371–373CrossRef

Sen A (2003) Missing women—revisited. BMJ 327:1297–1298PubMedCrossRef

Sjostrom O, Holst D (2002) Validity of a questionnaire survey: response patterns in different subgroups and the effect of social desirability. Acta Odontol Scand 60:136–140PubMedCrossRef

Zeng LM (2010) The 2009 sex ratio at birth is 119.45 in the mainland of China, the first drop in recent years. China News, 3 June, viewed 3 June 2010, http://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/news/2010/06-03/2321111. (in Chinese)

Zhu WX, Li L, Hesketh T (2009) China’s excess males, sex selective abortion, and one child policy: analysis of data from 2005 national intercensus survey. Br Med J 338:1211–1220CrossRef

Title: Son preference and sex-selective abortion in China: informing policy options
Authors: Chi Zhou
Xiao Lei Wang
Xu Dong Zhou
Therese Hesketh
Publication date: 01-06-2012
Publisher: SP Birkhäuser Verlag Basel
Published in: International Journal of Public Health / Issue 3/2012
Print ISSN: 1661-8556
Electronic ISSN: 1661-8564
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0267-3

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

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

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 3/2012

Interviewer BMI effects on under- and over-reporting of restrained eating: evidence from a national Dutch face-to-face survey and a postal follow-up

Fathers’ knowledge of and attitude towards human papillomavirus infection, genitoanal warts, cervical cancer and HPV vaccine

Perceptions of the food environment are associated with fast-food (not fruit-and-vegetable) consumption: findings from multi-level models

Comparison of four definitions of the metabolic syndrome and odds of ischemic heart disease in the Lithuanian urban population

A quantile regression approach to re-investigate the relationship between sleep duration and body mass index in Taiwan

Context by treatment interactions as the primary object of study in cluster randomized controlled trials of population health interventions