Sex Ratio at Birth and Infant Mortality Rate in China: An Empirical Study

Abstract

In this article, we used the data from the last three population censuses of China in 1982, 1990 and 2000, to study the dynamics of the sex ratio at birth and the infant mortality rate in China. In the late 1970s, China started its economic reform and implemented many family planning programs. Since then there has been great economic development and a dramatic decrease in fertility in most of its provinces. Along with these achievements, the sex ratio at birth of the Chinese population has increased to significantly more males to females, and in some provinces of China reached unprecedented levels. The ratio of infant mortality of the males to females for many provinces in China become extremely unbalanced with a much higher female infant mortality rate. In our study, we investigated the statistical relationship between the sex ratio at birth and the ratio of the infant mortality of males to female. Social and economic reasons for these unnatural trends are also discussed.