Effect of sociocultural factors on gender preference among pregnant women in urban slum

Dr.Neelam Gautam; Dr.Kamlendra Kishor; Dr.R.N.Kulkarni

Volume : V, Issue : VIII, August - 2015

Effect of sociocultural factors on gender preference among pregnant women in urban slum

Dr. Neelam Gautam, Dr. Kamlendra Kishor, Dr. R. N. Kulkarni

Abstract :

Objective: Effect of socio–cultural factors on genderpreferenceand assessment of awareness regarding decreasingsex ratio among pregnant women. Material and Methodology: A cross sectional study conducted among all pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic for the first time at UHC Shivaji Nagar, Govandi, Mumbai from September to October 2012 and interviewed using semi structured questionnaire and data was analysed by SPSS 16. Result: Out of 120 pregnant women71.76%preferred male child. Education, occupation,socioeconomic class, sex of the previous child ,type of family and not the religion had significant association with son preference. Major reasons for son preference were keeping the family line (39.53%), old age security(26.74%) and in laws pressure (19.76%).Awareness regarding decreasing sex ratio and female feticide as a crime was 40% and 24.33% respectively