Son preference and fertility in China.

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Sociology
• Public Health

Background:

• Son preference is a deeply ingrained cultural norm in many societies, including China.
• This preference can significantly impact fertility behaviors and demographic trends.
• Understanding these influences is crucial for effective family planning policies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of son preference on the likelihood of having a second or third birth in China.
• To quantify the effect of having daughters on subsequent birth hazards among married women.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 1988 Two-per-thousand National Sample Survey on Fertility and Contraception in China.
• Employed Cox proportional hazard models to analyze the transition to second and third births.
• Controlled for seven key covariates including ethnicity, education, age at birth, and policy context.

Main Results:

• Son preference demonstrably increases the hazard of having a second birth if the first child is a daughter.
• The likelihood of a third birth is elevated when the first two children are both girls.
• These effects persist even after controlling for socioeconomic and policy-related factors.

Conclusions:

• Son preference remains a significant driver of fertility decisions in China, influencing birth spacing and family size.
• The findings underscore the need for policies that address cultural norms to achieve desired fertility outcomes.
• Further research can explore the evolving nature of son preference and its demographic consequences.