Influence of Gender Preference for Children on Fertility Behavior : A Comparative Study of Men and Women in Haryana

Abstract

A number of recent studies [A] [D] have documented evidence to show that couples have a decided preference for a particular sex combination of children. For example, in many South Asian countries, including India, there is a strong preference for sons over daughters. In fact, son preference has been considered to be one of the factors responsible for the high fertility in these countries, and it is argued that such gender preferences for children may act as a major constraint in the implementation of family planning programs, particularly in countries which are beginning to experience a fertility transition [E] [F].