TY - JOUR
T1 - Foetal loss and feminine sex ratios at birth in sub-Saharan Africa
AU - Morse, Anne
AU - Luke, Nancy
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Jennifer Van Hook, as well as the editor and anonymous reviewers, for helpful comments. This research was supported by funding for Population Research Infrastructure from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to the Population Research Institute at The Pennsylvania State University (P2C HD041025).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Population Investigation Committee.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - A wealth of demographic research has explored the determinants of sex ratios at birth, but few studies have considered the role of foetal loss (spontaneous abortion), in producing feminine sex ratios. One challenge is measuring the occurrence of foetal loss, which is difficult to recognize and report in survey research. This study uses the length of the birth interval as a proxy for foetal loss; foetal loss restarts the clock on time to conception and lengthens the birth interval. We use Demographic and Health Survey data on second births to women in 17 sub-Saharan African countries. Results show that longer second birth intervals are significantly related to lower odds of a male second birth and to feminine sex ratios at birth. These findings suggest that high levels of foetal loss, which could signal underlying poor maternal health in a population, have dramatic effects on the sex ratio at birth.
AB - A wealth of demographic research has explored the determinants of sex ratios at birth, but few studies have considered the role of foetal loss (spontaneous abortion), in producing feminine sex ratios. One challenge is measuring the occurrence of foetal loss, which is difficult to recognize and report in survey research. This study uses the length of the birth interval as a proxy for foetal loss; foetal loss restarts the clock on time to conception and lengthens the birth interval. We use Demographic and Health Survey data on second births to women in 17 sub-Saharan African countries. Results show that longer second birth intervals are significantly related to lower odds of a male second birth and to feminine sex ratios at birth. These findings suggest that high levels of foetal loss, which could signal underlying poor maternal health in a population, have dramatic effects on the sex ratio at birth.
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U2 - 10.1080/00324728.2021.1877793
DO - 10.1080/00324728.2021.1877793
M3 - Article
C2 - 33599566
AN - SCOPUS:85101015579
SN - 0032-4728
VL - 75
SP - 239
EP - 254
JO - Population Studies
JF - Population Studies
IS - 2
ER -