Family size, fertility preferences, and sex ratio in China in the era of the one child family policy: results from national family planning and reproductive health survey
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To examine the impact of the one child family policy in China on fertility, preferred family size, and sex ratio. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data from the Chinese cross sectional national family planning and reproductive health survey, 2001. Interviews of representative sample of women aged 15-49. RESULTS: Data were obtained from 39,585 women, with a total of 73,202 pregnancies and 56,830 live births. The average fertility rate in women over 35 (n = 17,078) was 1.94 (2.1 in rural areas and 1.4 in urban areas) and for women under 35 (n = 11,543) 1.73 (1.25 and 1.79). Smaller families were associated with younger age, higher level of education, and living in an urban area. The male to female ratio was 1.15 and rose from 1.11 in 1980-9 to 1.23 for 1996-2001. Most women wanted small families: 35% preferred one child and 57% preferred two. CONCLUSION: Since the one child family policy began, the total birth rate and preferred family size have decreased, and a gross imbalance in the sex ratio has emerged.
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Almost every couple will be able to have the number of children they desire under the new policy.
“The new policy will allow almost all couples to meet their reproductive preference.59,60”
From The effects of China’s universal two-child policy (2016) · cites this paper as [59]
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The effects of China’s universal two-child policy
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Self-citationTwo Is Best? The Persistence of a Two‐Child Family Ideal in Europe
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- Authors
- Ding, Q. J., & Hesketh, T.
- Affiliations
- Zhejiang University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Hesketh, Therese
- ORCID
- Hesketh, Therese
- Venue
- BMJ
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Published
- 2006-05-11
- Volume
- 333
- Issue
- 7564
- Pages
- 371-373
- ISSN
- 0007-1447 (ISSN-L)
- 0959-8138
- 1468-5833
- OpenAlex
- W2106478630
- Cited by
- 185
- References
- 14
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 25.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- BMJ (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- 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 › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Keywords
- one-child policy, fertility preferences, sex ratio, sex-selective abortion, fertility decline, urban-rural differences, women's reproductive behavior, China
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, China, Family Characteristics, Female, Fertility, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Rural Health, Sex Ratio, Urban Health, Family Planning Policy, Reproductive Medicine
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