Citation

Gu B, Xu Y. Chin. J. Popul. Sci. 1994; 6(4): 417-431.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Allerton Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12319211

Abstract

As China's birth rate has declined, its birth gender ratio has increased. The causes were identified as follows: 1) reporting or tabulation errors in birth statistics affecting 50-75% of the increases; 2) induced abortion and the use of ultrasound equipment in fetal sex identification; 3) an unusually higher female death rate due to parental neglect and lack of caring for sick female infants; 4) unreported female adoptions; and 5) infant abandonment and drowning. Since 1993, top leaders within the Party Central Committee and State Family Planning Committee have recognized publicly the serious issue of the birth gender ratio and called for action. International scholars have used the 1987 1% sample data and the 1990 census data to analyze the determinants of the increased birth gender ratio. Population researchers in the US and Australia have identified drowning of female infants as the main reason. Chinese researchers have published in international journals and national demographic journals findings that the phenomenon was not unique to China and related to higher order births. Proposed strategies included expanding the scope of research and focus on regions where the imbalances were particularly high and population size was large. There should be better coordination between state family planning administrative departments and research institutes in policy implementation. In 1989, the birth gender ratio was 113.8 based on a 100% population census, and evidence from more recent surveys has indicated continuation of increases. The China Population Information and Research Center had taken up the challenge and analyzed census data, conducted field studies, analyzed hospital birth registrations, and conducted special investigations in southern Zhejiang Province. The problem of imbalances arose during the 1980s and particularly increased after 1985 above 110. The ratio has been within a normal range for first-borns. The gender ratio has become more abnormal with increasing birth order. In 1989, the first-born sex ratio was 105.2 and the second-born sex ratio was 121.0. This pattern varied across regions. Townships had the highest ratios. The imbalances were observed mostly for women with secondary or lower education and for women of Han nationality.

Language: en