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Son Preference and the Reproductive Behavior of Rural-Urban Migrant Women of Childbearing Age in China: Empirical Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Data

Author

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  • Xiaojie Wang

    (School of Management, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China)

  • Wenjie Nie

    (School of Management, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China)

  • Pengcheng Liu

    (School of Economics, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266100, China)

Abstract

Son preference has been shown to influence the childbearing behavior of women, especially in China. Existing research has largely focused on this issue using cross-sectional data of urban or rural populations in China, while evidence from the rural-urban migrant women is relatively limited. Based on the data of China Migrants Dynamic Survey in 2015, we used logistic regression models to explore the relationship of son preference and reproductive behavior of rural-urban migrant women in China. The results show that the son preference of migrant women is still strong, which leads women with only daughters to have significantly higher possibility of having another child and results in a higher imbalance in the sex ratio with higher parity. Migrant women giving birth to a son is a protective factor against having a second child compared to women whose first child was a girl. Similarly, the effects of the gender of the previous child on women’s progression from having two to three children showed the same result that is consistent with a preference for sons. These findings have implications for future public strategies to mitigate the son preference among migrant women and the imbalance in the sex ratio at birth.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaojie Wang & Wenjie Nie & Pengcheng Liu, 2020. "Son Preference and the Reproductive Behavior of Rural-Urban Migrant Women of Childbearing Age in China: Empirical Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:9:p:3221-:d:354616
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gu Baochang & Wang Feng & Guo Zhigang & Zhang Erli, 2007. "China's Local and National Fertility Policies at the End of the Twentieth Century," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 33(1), pages 129-148, March.
    2. Deepankar Basu & Robert Jong, 2010. "Son targeting fertility behavior: Some consequences and determinants," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 47(2), pages 521-536, May.
    3. Christophe Z. Guilmoto, 2012. "Son Preference, Sex Selection, and Kinship in Vietnam," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 38(1), pages 31-54, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yiqing Xing & Clifford Silver Tarimo & Weicun Ren & Liang Zhang, 2022. "The Impact of Health Insurance Policy on the Fertility Intention of Rural Floating Population in China: Empirical Evidence from Cross-Sectional Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-16, December.

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