From the Research
To analyze a decreasing trend in sex ratio, it is essential to collect reliable demographic data and perform statistical analysis, considering factors such as parental age, birth order, and socioeconomic categories, as suggested by the most recent study 1 from 2023. When analyzing the trend, it is crucial to calculate the sex ratio for each time period and plot these values chronologically to visualize the trend.
- Perform statistical analysis such as regression analysis to quantify the rate of decline and determine if it's statistically significant.
- Disaggregate the data by relevant factors like age groups, geographic regions, and socioeconomic categories to identify where the decline is most pronounced.
- Investigate potential causes by examining correlations with factors such as sex-selective abortion practices, differential mortality rates between sexes, migration patterns, and changes in birth registration practices. The study 1 found that race/ethnicity is the variable with the strongest influence on the sex ratio at birth, while parental age, birth order, and solar radiation also have a moderate degree of influence.
- Consider conducting qualitative research through interviews or focus groups to understand cultural preferences and practices that might influence sex ratios.
- Finally, compare the findings with expected biological norms (naturally about 105 male births per 100 female births) to determine the extent of deviation and assess potential policy interventions needed to address concerning imbalances, as discussed in 2. It is also important to note that advanced maternal age and reduction of the artificially-biased sex ratio among third and higher-order births may partially explain the decreasing trend in the sex ratio, as demonstrated in 3. However, the lack of consistent influences on, or patterns of change in, the proportion of male births between different subpopulations of births suggests that a single mechanism is unlikely to explain the decrease in the overall sex ratio, as mentioned in 4.