Sex-selective abortion
Terminating pregnancy based on predicted infant sex, mostly female.
Sex-selective abortion involves ending a pregnancy because of the fetus's predicted sex. Since this practice overwhelmingly ends the lives of female fetuses, it is often understood as female-selective abortion. It is closely connected to female infanticide, and numerous human rights groups classify it as a form of violence against women.
This practice is most prevalent in regions where sons are valued more than daughters, particularly in parts of East and South Asia—including China, India, and Pakistan—as well as the Caucasus, the Western Balkans, and, to a lesser extent, North America. Data from India’s third National Family and Health Survey showed that sex-selective abortion was more likely when both parents, or just the father, preferred male children. When only the mother preferred sons, the result was more often sex-selective neglect, where the child was unlikely to survive infancy.
The first documented cases of sex-selective abortion appeared in 1975. By the late 1980s, the practice had become common in South Korea, Taiwan, and China, and around the same time or slightly later in India.
Sex-selective abortion alters the human sex ratio—the number of males relative to females in a given age group. This contributes to a shortfall of women, especially noticeable in China and India, the world’s two most populous countries. Many studies and reports assume that the birth-sex ratio (the overall ratio of boys to girls at birth) for a region indicates the prevalence of sex-selective abortion, though some scholars have questioned this assumption. Research suggests that in India, roughly 50,000 to 100,000 female fetuses are aborted each year, significantly affecting the sex ratio.
More recent work has expanded understanding by tracking conditional sex ratios among Asian diaspora populations in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US. These studies show that sex selection practices have persisted in these communities from 1999 to 2019. Research covering the past four decades in China highlights how these practices have shaped the country’s demographics, even though exact numbers are hard to pin down due to underreporting and ongoing debate over the sex ratio at birth.
The human sex ratio at birth normally falls between 103 and 107 males per 100 females, with a 2002 estimate placing it at 106. A ratio significantly different from 106—108 or above suggesting fem
- first_documented
- 1975
- commonplace_by
- late 1980s
- regions_most_common
- East Asia, South Asia, Caucasus, Western Balkans
- estimated_annual_female_abortions_in_Ind
- 50,000 to 100,000
- expected_birth_sex_ratio_range
- 103 to 107 males per 100 females
- ratio_indicating_selective_abortion_of_f
- 108 and above
Lore & Background
Sex-selective abortion was first documented in 1975 and became commonplace by the late 1980s in South Korea, Taiwan, and China, and around the same time or slightly later in India. It is most common where male children are valued over female children, particularly in parts of East Asia and South Asia, as well as in the Caucasus, Western Balkans, and to a lesser extent North America. Based on the third National Family and Health Survey, results showed that if both partners, mother and father, or just the father, preferred male children, sex-selective abortion was more common. In cases where only the mother prefers sons, this is likely to result in sex-selective neglect in which the child is not likely to survive past infancy.
Reader's Guide
Sex-selective abortion affects the human sex ratio—the relative number of males to females in a given age group—contributing to a shortfall of women, particularly in China and India. Studies and reports often assume that birth-sex ratio is an indicator of sex-selective abortion, but this assumption has been questioned by some scholars. Researchers have shown that in India there are approximately 50,000 to 100,000 female abortions each year, significantly affecting the human sex ratio. Recent studies have expanded understanding by quantifying trends in conditional sex ratios among Asian diaspora populations in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US, showing that sex selection practices have persisted from 1999 to 2019. Research into the past four decades in China highlights the significant role these practices have played in shaping the country's demographic profile, despite challenges in estimating exact numbers due to underreporting and the controversial level of sex ratio at birth.
Did You Know?
- Sex-selective abortion was first documented in 1975.
- It became commonplace by the late 1980s in South Korea, Taiwan, and China.
- In India, an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 female abortions occur each year.
- Sex selection practices have persisted among Asian diaspora communities in Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US from 1999 to 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sex-selective abortion?
It refers to the deliberate termination of a pregnancy after learning the fetus is likely to be a particular sex, most often female. In ethical discourse, it is frequently treated as a gender-based form of violence rather than a neutral medical procedure.
Where does sex-selective abortion occur most frequently?
The practice is concentrated in parts of East and South Asia—especially China, India, and Pakistan—as well as the Caucasus and the Western Balkans. Smaller-scale cases have also been noted in North America.
When did sex-selective abortion become widespread?
The earliest documented instances date to around 1975, but the practice did not become truly commonplace until the late 1980s, coinciding with the spread of reliable prenatal sex-determination technology.
Why do human-rights organizations classify sex-selective abortion as violence against women?
Because the overwhelming majority of these procedures target female fetuses, groups such as various UN bodies frame the practice as a pre-birth extension of gender discrimination and infanticide. It is therefore grouped alongside other harms directed specifically at girls and women.
How can researchers tell that sex-selective abortion is happening in a given population?
The natural birth sex ratio typically falls between 103 and 107 males per 100 females, so a sustained ratio of 108 or higher is widely taken as statistical evidence of female-selective termination. In India, for example, estimates suggest roughly 50,000 to 100,000 female pregnancies are ended each year for this reason.
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