For most of history, parents preferred baby boys, as sons traditionally inherited family names and wealth. Globally, about 105 boys are born for every 100 girls, which is thought to balance higher male mortality. In the past, larger families usually resulted in a mix of sons and daughters, but as families became smaller, parents could not be sure of having a boy. The introduction of ultrasound in the 1980s allowed parents to identify the sex of a fetus, leading in some countries to sex-selective abortions and millions of “missing” girls. Policies like China’s one-child rule exacerbated the problem. However, since 2010, the number of missing girls has decreased. In developing countries, parents now often desire a mix of sons and daughters, and in wealthy nations, many show a preference for girls. Reasons include daughters being easier to raise, expected to care for parents, and the negative societal behaviors of boys. Sex-selection technologies, such as sperm sorting and IVF, allow parents to choose a child’s sex, though they are costly and sometimes illegal. If widely used, these technologies could have major social consequences, potentially skewing sex ratios and affecting relationships, family structures, and society as a whole in unpredictable ways.
Vocabulary:
• bias (noun): a preference or inclination that affects judgment, often unfairly; e.g., a bias for boys
• ultrasound (noun): medical imaging using sound waves to see inside the body, here to detect a fetus’ sex
• draconian (adj): extremely strict or severe; e.g., China’s one-child policy
• skewed (adj): not balanced or fair; e.g., a skewed sex ratio
• fetus (noun): an unborn child in the womb
• resorted (verb): to turn to a method or action, especially as a last option; e.g., parents resorted to abortion
• invasive (adj): requiring entry into the body, usually through surgery; e.g., IVF
• chromosomes (noun): structures of DNA that determine genetic traits including sex
• heterosexual (adj): attracted to the opposite sex; used in demographic implications
Source: The Economist