[Factors affecting the determination of secondary sex ratio]

ABSTRACT

Secondary sex ratio [SSR], i.e. the gender ratio of fetuses reaching viability has faced a declining trend in most societies in recent years. The aim of this study was to determine the contributing factors such as season of conception, type of pregnancy, housing conditions, monthly income and financial stress on SSR in Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 202 couples with children under one year old were studied. They were selected using two stage random sampling method from two healthcare centers in Tehran. Financial stress of parents was assessed based on a valid questionnaire. Data regarding other variables were gathered through a checklist. Uni-and multi-variate logistic regression tests were used to analyze the data [p<0.05]. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed a significant relationship between financial stress test score [OR=1.056, p=0.024] and rental housing [OR=1.89, p=0.029] and female newborns. Financial stress not only has physical and moral consequences, but also might play a major role in determining the sex ratio of future generations. Therefore, it is highly important that more effective guidelines be considered for improving welfare conditions and solving the housing problem: