The British Medical Journal recently released a study finding that selective sex abortion and the one child policy have led to 32 million more boys than girls in China. The study concludes that “China will see very high and steadily worsening sex ratios in the reproductive age group over the next two decades.” In 2005, 120 boys were born for every 100 girls, which makes China the country with the highest male to female ratio. The greatest disparity was in rural children between the ages of one and four years, with 126 boys for every 100 girls. Most countries see 103-107 male births for every female. For second children, the ratio of boys to girls was 143 to 100. The study stated that sex-selective abortion was the reason for the trend.
Compiled from: LaFraniere, Sharon, Chinese Bias for Baby Boys Creates a Gap of 32 Million, New York Times, 10 April 2009; China’s excess males, sex selective abortion, and one child policy: analysis of data from 2005 national intercensus survey, British Medical Journal, 9 April 2009; Selective abortion causes 32 mil extra China males, Brisbane Times, 10 April 2009.