Gender preference among pregnant women in Nepal

Authors

  • Anupama Ale Magar School of Public Health and Community Medicine, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
  • Rajendra Karkee School of Public Health and Community Medicine, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
  • Samyog Upreti School of Public Health and Community Medicine, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
  • Laxmi Subedi School of Public Health and Community Medicine, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
  • Anup Ghimire School of Public Health and Community Medicine, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-2156.IntJSciRep20203115

Keywords:

Gender, Preference, Coombs’ scale, Nepal

Abstract

Background: Nepalese society is traditionally patriarchal and son-preferred with increasing numbers of sex-selective abortions. In this context, this study aims to assess the gender preference and associated factors among pregnant women visiting the antenatal care ward of a large public maternity hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out among 821 antenatal women. Data was collected via face to face interview with structured questionnaire, and gender preference was assessed using Coombs’ scale.  

Results: At the first instance, more than half 56.2% respondents wished to have two sons and one daughter if they were to have only three children. On asking further questions as per the Coombs’ scale, about 40% of the respondents had son preference falling in IS scale 7-5, 33% had balanced IS-4, and 27% had daughter preference (IS 3-1). The respondent characteristics significantly associated with gender preference were ecological region (p=0.007), education (p=0.009), marital duration (p=0.044) and parity 0.32.

Conclusions: The wish to have son is prevalent among the respondents followed by a mixed gender of children. Educational status, ecological region, and parity explain this differential wish. Women’s education and autonomy are the areas to tackle with sex bias of offspring.

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Published

2020-07-21

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Original Research Articles