• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.65-96
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• 1997

The main purpose of this study is to explore the determinants of sex ratio imbalance at birth in Taegu which has experienced the extremely imbalanced sex ratio at birth since mid-1980s. This paper attempts to compare the determinants of sex ratio imbalance at birth, such as sex discrimination against women, son preference, prenatal sex identification followes by sex-selective induced abortions, among married women aged 25 to 44 in Taegu with those in Bay area, California in USA. The research is based on the survey data which were conducted in Taegu, Repulic of Korea and Bay area, California in USA. The findings of this analysis suggest that married women in Taegu are more likely to feel sex discrimination against women than married women in Bay area. Furthermore, the percentage of married women's effort for son bearing before pregnancy is much higher than that of married women in Bay area. We also have found that the percentage of sex-selective induced abortion in Taegu is six times higher than that of married women in Bay area. According to the logistic regression analysis, the determinants of sex-selective induced abortion among married women in Taegu are discrimination against women, son preference, prenatal sex identification. On the other hand, age is the only variable which has an important impact on sex-selective induced abortion among married women in Bay area. From the findings of this study, we can conclude that son preference based on Cofucianism is the most important impact on sex ratio imbalance at birth in Taegu where son preference is much stronger than other regions in Korea. The phenomenon of extremely imbalanced sex ratio at birth in Taegu is the result of combination of these factors, such as strong son preference, seeking to have at least one son within small family size, and prenatal sex identification followed by sex-selective induced abortion.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.98-115
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• 1994

This study is attempting to examine the possible determinants of the rise of the sex ratio at birth from 106 to 110 in past decade in Taiwan. The basic hypothesis for the sudden rise of the sex ratio at birth is due to a combination of prenatal sex determination and abortion. The reasoning for this hypothesis involves three types of considerations - motivation, norm, and access. The theory is evaluated by analyzing data from birth registration and a large and representative sampie of Taiwanese wives of childbearing age. The empirical data seem to support the theoretical preposition and the basic hypothesis that the rise of the sex ratio at birth in Taiwan is due to a combination of prenatal sex determination and abortion. There is striking evidence of son-preference in the rise of the sex ratio at birth in higher birth order. In 1990 the sex ratio was 119 for third births and 128 for fourth and fifth births compared to the expected 106. Also, the 1991 KAP data indicated that women who have only daughters but no any son are more likely to make prenatal sex screening and terminate their pregnancies in male live births at higher birth order. Obviously, genetic diagnosis through chorionic villus sampling which was available in recent years was misused for prenatal sex determination and sex selective abortion.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.78-123
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• 1984

This study is attempting to examine the possible determinants of the rise of the sex ratio at birth from 106 to 110 in past decade in Taiwan. The basic hypothesis for the sudden rise of the sex ratio at birth is due to a combination of prenatal sex determination and abortion. The reasoning for this hypothesis involves three types of considerations - motivation, norm, and access. The theory is evaluated by analyzing data from birth registration and a large and representative sampie of Taiwanese wives of childbearing age. The empirical data seem to support the theoretical preposition and the basic hypothesis that the rise of the sex ratio at birth in Taiwan is due to a combination of prenatal sex determination and abortion. There is striking evidence of son-preference in the rise of the sex ratio at birth in higher birth order. In 1990 the sex ratio was 119 for third births and 128 for fourth and fifth births compared to the expected 106. Also, the 1991 KAP data indicated that women who have only daughters but no any son are more likely to make prenatal sex screening and terminate their pregnancies in male live births at higher birth order. Obviously, genetic diagnosis through chorionic villus sampling which was available in recent years was misused for prenatal sex determination and sex selective abortion.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.159-178
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• 2011

Korea has been widely recognized as the most successful country for reversal of the rise in sex ratio at birth (from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s) in a short period of time. However, unusually high sex ratios at birth are still observed in most regions as parity increases. Given that imbalanced sex ratios at high birth orders are mostly due to son-selective abortion, it still remains questionable whether son-selective reproductive behavior has vanished in Korea. The main purpose of this study is to analyze the pattern of changing trends and socioeconomic differentials in sex ratio at birth. Micro-data from birth registration for 2009 are utilized. Attention is focused on analyzing sex ratios at birth in Youngnam region according to age of mother, parity, educational attainment of parents, and occupation of parents. A series of simulations are also conducted in this paper to show how prenatal sex screening and son-selective abortion have affected the level of sex ratio at birth for years 1994, 2005 and 2009.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.79-115
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• 2001

This research explores determinants of induced abortion in Korea. Data from the 1997 Korea National Fertility Survey by Korea Institute of Health and Social Affairs are used for this research. Another aim of this study is to verify a methodological appropriateness of survival analysis in the study of determinants of induced abortion. I compare the result of survival analysis with that of logit analysis for this purpose. In this study, it is revealed that age at conception, number of children, and number of son that have been considered as determinants of induced abortion are still significant in determining induced abortion. However, unlike results of prior research, the practice of contraception does not affect the choice of induced abortion when I control for that the conception was wanted or not. I also find that there is a significant interaction between number of son at the time of conception and intention of the conception. Induced abortion has a far reaching impact on a society as well as on the health and well-being of a woman. In Korean society, sex-selective induced abortion with son preference can cause a very high level of imbalance of sex ratio at birth. Hence, it is so important to be more cautious to the practice and prevalence of induced abortion in the age of lowe fertility.

• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.79-86
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• 2008

The sex ratio at birth of South Korea is exceeding the natural sex ratio at birth, which is estimated to be about 105. One of the reasons of high sex ratio at birth is due to sex-selective abortion which is caused by strong son preference. The main objective of this study is to identify whether the families which are trying to bear children only until they acquire one son contribute to high sex ratio at birth. As a result, we obtain the theorem that if the number of such families diverge, the sex ratio at birth converges to the natural sex ratio almost surely. Therefore, we conclude that the existence of the families which are trying to bear children only until they receive one son does not affect the sex ratio at birth.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 2009

Objectives : South Korea has experienced unprecedented ups and downs in the sex ratio at birth(SRB), which has been a unique phenomenon in the last two decades. However, little is known about socioeconomic factors that influence the SRB. Employing the diffusion theory by Rogers, this study was undertaken to examine the trends in social variations in the SRB from 1981 to 2004 in Korea. Methods : The data was taken from Vital Birth Statistics for the period from 1981-2004. We computed the annual male proportion of live births according to the parental education(university, middle/high school, primary) and occupation(non-manual, manual, others). Logistic regression analysis was employed to estimate the odds ratios of male birth according to social position for the equidistant three time periods(1981-1984, 1991-1994, and 2001-2004). Results : An increased SRB was detected among parents with higher social position before the mid 1980s. Since then, however, a greater SRB was found for the less educated and manual jobholders. The inverse social gradient for the SRB was most prominent in early 1990s, but the gap has narrowed since the late 1990s. The mother's socioeconomic position could be a sensitive indicator of the social variations in the sex ratio at birth. Conclusions : Changes in the relationship of parental social position with the SRB were detected during the 1980-2004 in Korea. This Korean experience may well be explained by diffusion theory, suggesting there have been socioeconomic differences in the adoption and spread of sex-detection technology.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.182-227
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• 1998

Korean government decided to adopt an explicit population control policy in 1961 and from the following year the establishment and operation of the national family planning programme was included in each of the Five-Year Economic Development Plans that began in 1962. This policy was pursued in the understanding that without proper population control measures korea could not be able to achieve economic development. Korean national family planning programme is characterized by contraceptive target system through public health network with distribution of free contraceptives by family planning field workers and clinical contraceptive services such as IUD, vasectomy and tubaligation at designated clinics by the government. In addition, IE&C activities by the Planned Parenthood Federation of Korea and programme evaluation and research by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs contributed to the development of the government programme. Between 1960 and mid 1980s the nation's total fertility rate was reduced from 6.0 to population replacement level of 2.1 and thereafter it has been maintained at 1.6 to 1.7 of below replacement level. With a short period of less than three decades fertility transition was completed in Korea. It is estimated that if the current level of below replacement fertility continues, the population in Korea stabilize at around 52.78 million people by the year 2028, and it will begin to decrease thereafter. Under this circumstances, the government adopted new directions and strategies of the population policy in June 1996, focused primarily on population quality and social welfare than on demographic arenas. In spite of over 80 percent of high contraceptive prevalence among married women, high incidence of induced abortions is maintained. Moreover, the prevalence of sex selective induced abortions using procedures to determine the sex of the fetus has resulted in an imbalance in the sex ratio at birth. In order to overcome those problems associated with reproductive health new policy for population quality control and health promotion programme should be highly strengthened in the future.