March 14th, 2011 05:38 PM ET A preference for sons in some Asian
countries has been well documented for centuries. Now a study
suggests the practice has led to significant imbalances in the
male/female population in China, South Korea and India that
could have long-lasting implications. According to the Canadian
Medical Association Journal, over the next 20 years, this
practice will lead to an excess of males—between 10%-20% in
large parts of China and India. The sex ratio at birth (SRB)—the
number of boys born to every 100 girls—is typically 105 males to
100 females. But since the 1980s, the availability of ultrasound
technology has spurred sex selection, particularly in countries
where males are highly prized. South Korea was the first to
report a high SRB due to sex selection. Researchers say in
China, the one-child policy has contributed to the “In 2005 in
China, it was estimated that 1.1 million excess males were born
across the country and that the number of males under the age of
20 years exceeded the