ABSTRACT
Objective: To analyze desire for sons/daughters among ladies of Peshawar, Pakistan, with a view to rule out son preference and to study impact of various demographic characteristics on the subject
Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar, from August 2015 - January 2016; sampling technique was random/probability/non-purposive. Self-designed questionnaire was utilized; carrying questions pertinent to desire for sons/daughters during marital life, and demographic details. Data analyzed via descriptive analysis [SPSS-21], expressed as frequencies/ percentages and mean +/- standard deviation [minimum/maximum]
Sons and daughters desired [dependent variables] were cross-tabulated with independent variables
Results: Response rate was 63.25% [n-506]
Data revealed following: Sons desired 3.05 +/- 2.061[1/12]; Daughters desired 1.15 +/- 0.767[0/4]; 6.1%[n-31] and 0.6%[n-3] desired infinite number of sons and daughters respectively, 18.2%[n-92] did not desire to have even one daughter, while 2.2%[n-11] considered it immaterial to have daughters or sons
There was a significant relation between sons desired and client's education [p<0.001], husband's education [p<0.001] and socioeconomic class [p<0.001]. There was no significant impact of religion [p-0.142] on desire for sons. Impact of independent variables on daughters desired was similar but less pronounced
Conclusion: There was candid son preference among the respondents. Gender discrimination can be attenuated by adequately addressing son preference at all tiers