The role of son preference in reproductive behaviour in Pakistan

The sex of surviving children is an important determinant of reproductive b ehaviour in South Asia in general and Pakistan in particular. This cohort s tudy evaluates the role of the sex of children on reproductive intentions a nd subsequent behaviour of women in urban slums of Karachi, Pakistan. The a nalysis is based on two rounds of surveys conducted in 1990-91 and 1995 of a cohort of married women aged 15-49 years. The results show that pregnanci es became increasingly unwanted as the number of surviving sons increased. The sex of surviving children was strongly correlated with subsequent ferti lity and contraceptive behaviour. However, rather than an exclusive son pre ference, couples strove for one or more sons and at least one surviving dau ghter. The policy implications of the link between overt son preference and low status of women are discussed.