Citation

Supraja TA, Varghese M, Desai G, Chandra PS. Int. J. Cult. Ment. Health 2016; 9(4): 356-363.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/17542863.2016.1205114

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In this cross-sectional assessment we examined the relationship of anxiety, stress and family violence with gender preference during pregnancy among women attending antenatal services in urban India. A total of 436 women in second trimester of pregnancy were interviewed using the Gender Preoccupation Questionnaire and psychosocial risk factors, namely perinatal anxiety, family violence and stress from daily hassles, were assessed; the relationship of these factors and other sociodemographic and obstetric factors with gender preference was examined. Of the sample, 209 women (47.9%) reported the presence of gender preference either in self or in a family member, of whom 120 (57.4%) preferred a male child. Gender preference was present more often among multipara women (111/220, 50.5%) than among primiparous women (98/216, 45.37%). Overall, women who reported male gender preference were found to have both higher anxiety levels (F = 6.28, p = 0.013) as well as higher stress scores (F = 14.91, p < 0.001) compared to women who either reported preference for a female child or had no preference. Exploring antenatal gender preference both among pregnant women and family members is important. Identifying these stressors during pregnancy is crucial for delivering appropriate services to the women to prevent adverse outcomes in both the mother and infant.

Language: en