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Background: Son preference in India is widespread and deep rooted. Parents’ expectations of benefits and costs are biased in favour of sons. This therefore acts as the key motivation for the preference of male offspring. Women might continue to bear children until the desired number of sons is reached. Methodology: A community based, cross-sectional study was carried out among 718 married women of reproductive age group selected by systematic random sampling. Results: The present study revealed that 63.1% women were of the opinion that it was necessary to have a male child. Women were more likely to be acceptors of contraception even if they had one son (38.8%) as compared to women having no sons (17.9%) and the relationship was found to be significantly associated. Women who accepted terminal method of contraception over spacing method was significantly higher among women having male offspring. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that in settings like Uttar Pradesh, focusing solely on family-size limitation may not be an effective strategy to promote family planning because it is women’s preference for sons – and not just family size – that plays a key role in determining if, when and how a woman regulates her fertility.

Background: Literatures reported gender preference among women in different parts of India. The study was conducted to know the opinion of mothers on different areas of gender inequalities, presence of gender preference and the associated factors. Methodology: The present cross sectional, descriptive study was done among mothers residing in a sub urban community of Nadia district. Data was collected by direct interview. Results: Among the ninety nine (99) participating mothers, most were Hindu (96), homemaker (91), lived in nuclear family (76) with mean age of 30.89 years. One out of every five mother was illiterate. 23.2% mothers had abortion and 63.6% practiced contraception. Eighty six mothers opined that a couple should have one or two children. Difference in opinion favouring male child was noted. There was no difference in seeking health care, providing more education, sharing of food for either sex. Preference for boy child was similar as girl child (31.3% vs. 26.3%). Conclusions: In spite of presence of inequalities in opinion, there was no significant gender preference present for either sex. Acculturation and improved female literacy could make the scenario more glorified.

Background: Falling sex ratio is a major concern. Gender preference of young couples, their attitude towards pre natal sex determination and awareness regarding related social issues plays an important role in determining their practice and needs to be studied. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional; community based descriptive study conducted in Lucknow district from August, 2012 to April, 2013. Couples were interviewed using a pre tested, semi structured questionnaire. Gender preference was assessed using the Coombs scale and attitude towards pre natal sex determination was elicited with the help of a case study. Multi stage random sampling technique was adopted to select the couples. A total of 308 couples were interviewed. Results: Son preference was observed among 64.6% of the couples while 28.1% couples were in favour of pre natal sex determination. Overall 72.1% couples were aware of unfavourable sex ratio in the country and 74.7% were aware of the harmful effects of declining sex ratio on the society. Majority (93.2%) knew that pre natal sex determination is a crime but only 1.6% were aware of the punishment for the offence. Conclusion: The study clearly shows that son preference and pre natal sex determination still finds favour with a substantial proportion of young couples and emphasises the need for proper counselling and behaviour change communication among them.

Background: Skewed sex ratio is an issue of major concern & has long term Sociodemograhic consequences which may be due to patriarchal social framework & strong son desire in India. The problem is getting worse as scientific methods of sex determination & termination of pregnancy are improving leading to female feticide. Hence the present study tries to evaluate knowledge & practice of sex-determination techniques & reasons for son preference gender among married women in an urban slum of Mumbai, Maharashtra. Methodology: A community based, cross-sectional study was carried out among 900 married women of reproductive age group selected by systematic random sampling in an urban slum of community of Mumbai, Maharashtra. Results: the present study shows that most of the women were muslims & they were educated. In spite of good education most of the women were engaged in household work. Most of the women i.e. 58.8% were aware of sex determination practices of which majority knew the method & place of sex determination as well as majority knew that sex determination is crime & few women were aware about the penalty for the same. Overall male child preference was seen in 49.6% women. The desire for male child becomes stronger as the number of girl child increases. Major reasons for male child preference were to carry forward family name & business, for their old age support & to carry out religious function. Conclusion: The present study reflects that knowledge of sex determination techniques were quite good among study women as well as they were having strong preference for male child.

Background: The preference for a son and female feticide continues to be a prevalent norm in traditional Indian household resulting in declining sex ratio, which has dropped to alarming level. Objective: To evaluate gender preference, attitude and awareness regarding sex determination among married women attending general OPD, antenatal clinic of RDGMC UJJAIN, MP, INDIA. Material and methods: Study was conducted in February - March 2011 that enroll 400 married women of reproductive age group attending general OPD, antenatal clinic of RDGMC Ujjain, MP, India. A predesigned questionnaire was used to elicit information on socio-demographic and SES of study subjects and assessing their knowledge, attitude and practice regarding sex determination as: preference, reason for preference. Result: Preferred gender composition was equal no of boy & girls ( 64.5 %) & more boys than girls(23%). 79 % of women were aware about place for sex determination. 69.5 % of women were aware to fact that fetal sex Determination is a crime & 66.5 % of women knew about the punishment for sex determination and implication of feticide. male child preference observed in 40 % of women. Conclusion: Despite the existence of preconception and prenatal diagnostic technique (PNPCDT), there is dire need to strengthen their law.