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Cited by 34Demographic Trends and Gender PreferencesReproductive Health and ContraceptionHistorical Studies on Reproduction, Gender, Health, and Societal Changes

Abortion Patterns and Reported Sex Ratios at Birth in Rural Yunnan, China

Open access
Löfstedt, Petra, Shusheng, Luo, Johansson, Annika·2004·Reproductive Health Matters
DOI 10.1016/s0968-8080(04)24147-7
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Abstract

High sex ratio at birth due to son preference has been known in China historically, but it was thought this phenomenon would diminish with modernisation. The aim of this study was to investigate abortion decisions and reported sex ratios at birth in the context of successive family planning policies in Huaning County, Yunnan Province, in China. Abortion patterns and reported sex ratios at birth of a random sample of 1,336 women aged 15–64 were analysed for the period 1980–2000, in relation to parity and sex of previous children. There was a male bias in the abortion pattern during the 1980s, but by the end of the 1990s most pregnancies of women with two children were being terminated. Sex ratio at birth rose from 107 in 1984–87 to 110 between 1988–2000 in Huaning. While women's reproductive decisions were influenced by son preference over the whole period, the means used to ensure a son differed with changing family planning policies. We conclude that rising sex ratios in the context of falling fertility and modernisation is an alarming socio–demographic issue, which defies historical experience. Assumptions that discrimination against girls would diminish with economic development and female education have proven simplistic. Action is urgently needed to reduce and mitigate the effects of discrimination against girls.RésuméLa Chine enregistre depuis longtemps un rapport de masculinité élevé en raison de la préférence pour les fils, mais on pensait que ce phé nomè ne diminuerait avec la modernisation. Cette é tude a analysé les dé cisions d'avorter et les rapports déclarés de masculinité à la naissance, dans le contexte des politiques successives de planification familiale dans le comté de Huaning, province du Yunnan, en Chine. Elle a é tudié les avortements et les rapports de masculinité à la naissance sur un é chantillon de 1336 femmes de 15-64 ans sur la pé riode 1980-2000, par rapport à la parité et au sexe des enfants pré cé dents. Pendant les anné es 80, les décisions d'avorter révélaient une partialité en faveur des garçons, mais à la fin des années 90, la plupart des mè res de deux enfants interrompaient leur grossesse. À Huang, le rapport de masculinité à la naissance est passé de 107 entre 1984–87 à 110 entre 1988–2000. Pendant toute la période étudiée, les décisions des femmes étaient influencées par la préférence pour les fils, mais les moyens employés pour s'assurer un garçon variaient avec l'évolution des politiques de planification familiale. La hausse des rapports de masculinité, face à la baisse de la fécondité et la modernisation, est un phénomène socio-démographique inquiétant, qui dé fie l'expérience historique. Il était simpliste de penser que la discrimination à l'égard des filles diminuerait avec le développement économique et l'éducation des filles et il faut agir d'urgence pour réduire les effets de cette discrimination.ResumenEn China se ha sabido por años que hay preferencia por hijos varones pero se pensó que este fenó meno disminuira con la modernizació n. Este estudio investigó el aborto y las proporciones de sexos entre los recién nacidos en las politicas de planificació n familiar en Huaning, Yunnan, en China. Se analizaron las decisiones para abortar y las proporciones de sexos entre recié n nacidos en una muestra aleatoria de 1,336 mujeres de 15 a 64 años entre 1980 y 2000, en relación con la paridad y el sexo de los hijos anteriores. Durante los años 80, se experimentó un sesgo hacia el sexo masculino en los abortos, pero a fines de los años 90, las mujeres con dos hijos decidian abortar. En Huang, la proporción de varones recié n nacidos aumentó de 107 por cada 100 niñas entre 1984–87 a 110 niños por cada 100 niñas entre 1988–2000. A pesar de que durante todo este período las decisiones de las mujeres fueron influenciadas por su preferencia por tener un varó n, los medios utilizados para garantizar su nacimiento cambiaron con las polí t́icas de planificación familiar. El aumento en la proporción de varones entre recién nacidos en una fecundidad declinante y la modernización es un aspecto sociodemográ fico alarmante que desafíà la experiencia histórica. Fue simple pensar que la discriminación contra las niñas disminuiríà con el desarrollo econó mico y la formación de las mujeres. Es apremiante la necesidad de tomar medidas para disminuir y atenuar los efectos de la discriminació n contra las niñas.

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  • The collection of population statistics in China is known to be subject to manipulation to conform with family-planning regulations, since the process is overseen by officials who are often unwilling to uncover any violations of the rules.

    “The collection of population statistics in China is known to be subject to manipulation to conform with family-planning regulations, since the process is overseen by officials who are often unwilling to uncover any violations of the rules. 14,15”

    From The Effect of China's One-Child Family Policy after 25 Years (2005) · cites this paper as [14]

    The Background reports serious defects in Chinese population statistics, including under-reported births and contradictory migration data. The Discussion also describes evidence that girls may be under-reported in official registers. Neither passage says that officials manipulate statistics to conform with family-planning regulations or are unwilling to uncover violations. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Nonregistration of female births also contributes to the sex-ratio gap in China.

    “Nonregistration of female births also contributes to the sex-ratio gap. 14,15”

    From The Effect of China's One-Child Family Policy after 25 Years (2005) · cites this paper as [14]

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3 of the 38 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Cai Y, Lavely WR. China's missing girls: numerical estimates and effects on population growth. China Review 2003;2(3):13-29. At: <http://www.chineseupress.com/ promotion/China%20Review/ China_review_J.html>.
  2. UNESCAP. National Report of the People's Republic of China to the Fifth Asian and Pacific Population Conference, 2002. Bangkok: ESCAP, 2003.
  3. Barreto T, Campbell O, Davies JL, et al. Investigating induced abortion in developing countries. Studies in Family Planning 1992;23(3):159-70.
  4. Roundtable. Reproductive Health Matters 2002;10(19): 194-97.
  5. P Lo ¨fstedt et al / Reproductive Health Matters 2004;12(24):86-95

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Authors
Löfstedt, P., Shusheng, L., & Johansson, A.
Affiliations
  • Karolinska Institutet (SE)
  • Peking University (CN)
ORCID
Venue
Reproductive Health Matters
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2004-01
Volume
12
Issue
24
Pages
86-95
ISSN
  • 0968-8080 (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-9576
DOI
10.1016/s0968-8080(04)24147-7
OpenAlex
W2056687536
Cited by
34
References
38
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
FWCI
7.93
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Reproductive Health Matters (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Health and Contraception
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History › Historical Studies on Reproduction, Gender, Health, and Societal Changes
Keywords
sex ratio at birth, son preference, sex-selective abortion, family planning policy, parity, rural China, gender discrimination
MeSH terms
Abortion, Legal, Adolescent, Adult, China, Decision Making, Family Planning Services, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Rural Population, Sex Ratio, Social Class, Women

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