The gender birth ratio refers to the proportion of male births to female births. This is often expressed as the number of males born per 100 females in any given year. While there are some variations between countries, or within a country based on the mother’s country of birth, globally the ratio has been (until recently — see below) 105 males born per 100 females. This appears to be a naturally-occurring phenomenon, and is thought to be a reflection of the fact that male infants have a slightly lower survival rate than females, so eventually the balance is about even. It is thought that ratios above 108 and below 103 are unlikely to occur naturally.
Although the slight gender imbalance at birth occurs naturally, in some societies there is evidence of intervention in the form of the abortion of female foetuses because of cultural norms emphasising the importance of sons over daughters. Recent media reports suggest that the practice of aborting female foetuses has spread to the UK, with between 1,400 and 4,700 ‘lost’ girls.
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