Factors influencing gender preference and awareness against sex determination in antenatal women in rural tertiary hospital in South India

Mahendra G.; Chaitra R. P.; Ravindra S. Pukale; Priyanka J. P.

doi:10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20241436

Authors

Mahendra G. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences B. G. Nagara Karnataka, India
Chaitra R. P. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences B. G. Nagara Karnataka, India
Ravindra S. Pukale Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences B. G. Nagara Karnataka, India
Priyanka J. P. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20241436

Keywords:

Gender preference, Sex determination, Antenatal women

Abstract

Background: Discrimination begins in the womb even before a baby is born. Sex ratio is an important social indicator that measures extent of prevailing equity between males and females in society and a balanced sex ratio is essential for a stable society. The main objective of this study is to find out the awareness of sex determination and to study the factors influencing gender preference among antenatal women.

Methods: A cross-sectional, hospital-based study was done among antenatal women at Adichunchanagiri institute of medical sciences, B.G. Nagara, Mandya. Information regarding the type of family, number of family members, socioeconomic status, gender preference, factors influencing gender preference and obstetric details was collected after taking consent from the antenatal women attending the outpatient department in Adichunchanagiri institute of medical sciences as well as inpatient antenatal women. Details of about the awareness of sex determination and the perception of women regarding sex determination were also collected.

Results: Total 114 pregnant women were included in this study. Among multigravidas 31.4% of them had male preference based on the sex of 1^st baby being female, 44.7% (51) participants had son preference and 36% (41) had daughter preference and 19.3% (22) participants had no gender preference. Among study participants 95 (83.3%) of them were aware of punishment regarding sex determination and 19 (16.7%) of them were unaware of legal punishment.

Conclusions: Awareness regarding sex determination facilities was found to be increased and pregnant women were also aware of the punishable act regarding sex determination. Factors influencing gender preference mainly included the gender of the first baby in multigravidas and the socioeconomic status.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Kansal R, Maroof KA, Bansal R, Parashar P. A hospital-based study on knowledge, attitude and practice of pregnant women on gender preference, prenatal sex determination and female feticide. Indian J Public Health. 2010;54(4):209-12.

Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India 2011. Provisional Population Totals Paper 1 of 2011, India Series-1. New Delhi: Government of India. 2011.

Kulkarni P. India's child sex ratio: worsening imbalance. Indian J Med Ethics. 2012;9(2):112-4.

Nithin K, Tanuj K, Unnikrishnan B, Rekha T, Prasanna M, Vaman K, et al. Gender preferences among antenatal women: a cross-sectional study from coastal South India. Afr Health Sci. 2015;15(2):560-7.

Bhattacharjya H, Das S, Mog C. Gender preference and factors affecting gender preference of mothers attending Antenatal Clinic of Agartala Government Medical College. Int J Med Sci Public Heal. 2014;3:137-9.

Karnataka Sex Ratio-Census 2011. Available at: https://www.censusindia.co.in/states/karnataka#google_vignette. Accessed on 14 April, 2024.

Dey Pal I, Chaudhuri RN. Gender preference and its implications on reproductive behavior of mothers in a rural area of west bengal. Indian J Community Med. 2009;34(1):65-7.

Vadera BN, Joshi UK, Unadakat SV, Yadav S. Study on Knowledge , Attitude and Practices Regarding Gender Preference and Female Feticide Among Pregnant Women. Indian J Community Med. 2007;32(4):300-1.

Census Figures of 2010. Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, New Delhi, India. 2010.

Vedpathak VL, Kakrani VA, Nagonakar AS, Deo Dahire PL, Kawalkar UG. Gender preference and awareness regarding sex determination among pregnant women- A hospital based study. Int J Med Sci Public Heal. 2013;2:1054-7.

Ghose S, Sarkar S. Knowledge and attitude of Prenatal Diagnostics techniques Act among the antenatal women a hospital based study. J Community Med. 2009;5:1-6.

Puri S, Bhatia V, Swami HM. Gender preference and awareness regarding sex determination among married women in slums of Chandigarh. Indian J Community Med. 2007;32(1):60-2.

Roy A, Biswas R. A Study on Gender Preference and Awareness Regarding Prenatal Sex Determination among Antenatal Women in a Rural Area of Darjeeling District, West Bengal, India. J Clin Diagn Res. 2017;11(2):LC05-8.

Arokiasamy P, Pradhan J. Gender bias against female children in India: Regional differences and their implications for MDGs. Available at: http://paa2006.princeton.edu/papers/60960. Accessed on 14 April, 2024.

Hank K, Kohler H-P. Gender Preferences for Children in Europe: Empirical Results from 17 FFS Countries. Demographic Research. 2000;2(1):1-21.