Gender preference and anxiety of pregnant women

The anxiety experienced by pregnant women due to gender preference is examined in this study, using the data collected from 203 pregnant women (having two living children) who visited K.C. General and Vani Vilas Hospitals, Bangalore, for ante-natal check-up during the third trimester. The study reveals that those who had 'high' level of anxiety accounted for 93 per cent among those having two female living children, compared to 67 per cent among those having one male and one female living child and only 27 per cent among those having two male living children. These proportions are found to differ significantly (at I per cent level) from one another. The study has also shown that as high as 64 per cent of those having only daughters are seriously wanting a son, whereas only 6 per cent of those having only sons are seriously wanting a daughter. This reveals the extent of son preference causing anxiety to pregnant women. It is interesting to find that the average anxiety score of those having two daughters and wanting a son is significantly higher than that of those having two sons and wanting a daughter. This confirms that son preference causes anxiety to pregnant women.