Sex-ratio at birth in Nigeria: A demographic perspective

The study attempts at estimating the sex-ratio at birth in Nigeria. The study focuses on demographic surveys with complete maternity histories, including some 0.50 million births. It compares results with published estimates from births in health facilities and a few data from vital registration, including some 1.13 million births. Results from demographic surveys give an estimate of about 106 boys for 100 girls. There were no significant variations by large region in the country, and no significant trend over the years (1990-2018). Published estimates provided a similar value (106.2), with somewhat lower value in health facilities (105.3), and somewhat higher values in local vital registration (106.8), and major variations among available studies. Despite uncertainty, Nigeria appears to have higher sex-ratios than most African countries, with the exception of Ethiopia, and higher values than its five neighboring countries. Reasons for these high values of the secondary sex-ratio are discussed. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[4]: 92-97).

Density of in-vitro fertilization centers and its correlation with socioeconomic factors in Maharashtra state, India

Background: The infertility due to various reasons is increasing and correspondingly the number in vitro fertilization (IVF) centers is also increasing. Some procedures in these centers can deliver desired sex of the unborn child. The gender discrimination in India has already resulted unfavorable child sex ratio for girls. Maharashtra is one of the badly affected states. It is feared that the child sex ratio may further decline due to IVF centers. The study was carried out to measure correlation between number of IVF centers with various indicators of sex ratio infertility, and some socio-economic factors.Methods: The study was conducted in 2014 using secondary data. District wise internet search by using words ‘In-Vitro Fertilization center’ and ‘infertility treatment center’ was carried out. Whenever IVF center/procedure was noticed on the internet, the center with its address was included in that district list.Results: There was positive correlation between IVF centers and urbanization, per capita income, female literacy and negative correlation with population sex ratio and no correlation with sex ratio at birth or child sex ratio. The best correlation was observed with urbanization, which explains the observed correlation with other variables.Conclusions: The number of IVF centers is not related with magnitude of infertility and not affecting sex ratio whereas IVF density seems to be an outcome of extent of urbanization.

Trends in Sex Ratio at Birth according to Parental Social Positions: Results from Vital Statistics Birth, 1981-2004 in Korea / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: South Korea has experienced unprecedented ups and downs in the sex ratio at birth (SRB), which has been a unique phenomenon in the last two decades. However, little is known about socioeconomic factors that influence the SRB. Employing the diffusion theory by Rogers, this study was undertaken to examine the trends in social variations in the SRB from 1981 to 2004 in Korea. METHODS: The data was taken from Vital Birth Statistics for the period from 1981-2004. We computed the annual male proportion of live births according to the parental education (university, middle/high school, primary) and occupation (non-manual, manual, others). Logistic regression analysis was employed to estimate the odds ratios of male birth according to social position for the equidistant three time periods (1981-1984, 1991-1994, and 2001-2004). RESULTS: An increased SRB was detected among parents with higher social position before the mid 1980s. Since then, however, a greater SRB was found for the less educated and manual jobholders. The inverse social gradient for the SRB was most prominent in early 1990s, but the gap has narrowed since the late 1990s. The mother's socioeconomic position could be a sensitive indicator of the social variations in the sex ratio at birth. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in the relationship of parental social position with the SRB were detected during the 1980-2004 in Korea. This Korean experience may well be explained by diffusion theory, suggesting there have been socioeconomic differences in the adoption and spread of sex-detection technology.

Sex ratio at birth in Viet Nam 2006

Background: In recent years the sex ratio at birth in Viet Nam is imbalanced, with the number of male births being higher than that of female births. Objectives: To describe the trend and distribution of sex ratio at birth by time and geography, and investigate the relationship between sex ratio at birth and abortion ratio in 2006. Subjects and method: The study was conducted in 3.840 communal health stations, 723 district hospitals/polyclinics and 132 provincial and central hospitals with total of 1,095,064 births, occupied 78% of births over the nation in 2006. Result: The male/female sex ratio varies between areas, with the ratio being higher in rural than in urban and higher in the North \u2013East and North-Central regions than in the rest of country (p<0.05). Conclusion: There has been the clear imbalance of sex ratio at birth since 2002 (varying from 110 to 113), as well as the significant imbalance of sex ratio at birth by provinces. High imbalance of sex ratio at birth is related to the high abortion rate in these provinces. Viet Nam needs to implement strong measures/actions to avoid the same situation as in China and India.