Woman holds a baby at rally on International Women's Day in 2018 in Jhunjhunu, India.

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August 18, 2022

India’s Sex Ratio at Birth Begins To Normalize

Woman holds a baby at rally on International Women’s Day in 2018 in Jhunjhunu, India.

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Woman holds a baby at rally on International Women’s Day in 2018 in Jhunjhunu, India.

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India’s Sex Ratio at Birth Begins To Normalize
Convention sex ratio
Number systems
India’s sex ratio at birth has been moving toward balance in recent years
Sex ratios at birth vary among India’s religious groups, but differences are shrinking
Hindus and Sikhs account for a disproportionate share of India’s ‘missing girls’
Azerbaijan, China, Armenia, Vietnam, Albania and India had world’s most male-biased sex ratios at birth from 2000 to 2020
In India, ultrasound use now less closely tied to abortion of female fetuses
India’s sex ratio at birth appears to be narrowing as son preference has weakened even though ultrasound use has risen
Son preference in India has fallen most among Sikhs
Among Indian women, Sikhs are the most likely to have an ultrasound exam during pregnancy
In India, overall fertility rates have fallen, and gaps among religions have shrunk
In India, women with fewer children have a greater excess of boys
Indian women without a son are more likely to want another child
How regions of India are defined in this section
India’s sex ratio gap has shrunk rapidly in the North
Several Indian states, including Punjab and Haryana, saw significant narrowing in sex ratio gap
Sikhs are the wealthiest of India’s major religious groups; Muslims are the most urban
In India, Sikhs and Muslims have larger upper-caste shares than other Indians
India’s Tribal women are the least likely to practice sex selection
Birth ratio difference between India’s upper and lower castes is narrowing
Birth ratio difference between India’s upper and lower castes remains wide among Sikhs
Wide confidence interval for Sikhs’ sex ratio estimate

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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

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India’s Sex Ratio at Birth Begins To Normalize

Woman holds a baby at rally on International Women’s Day in 2018 in Jhunjhunu, India.

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