Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T19:11:10.707Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Influence of son preference on the contraceptive use and fertility of Sri Lankan women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

W. Indralal De Silva
W. Indralal De Silva
Affiliation:
Demographic Training and Research Unit, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The effect of moderate son preference on family size is analysed using data from the 1982 Sri Lanka Contraceptive Prevalence Survey whose respondents were followed-up in the 1985 Sri Lanka Contraceptive Survey. Reported reproductive intentions on desire for additional children were not always reflected in overall contraceptive use. Complicating factors were the use of modern and traditional methods and the role of induced abortion. Longitudinal observations of the 1982–85 period relating women's individual reproductive behaviour to their intentions show no consistent behavioural difference between those with and without sons. However, at any given parity, the proportion reporting at least one additional child born during the intersurvey period was higher among those women who intended to have at least one additional child than among those who wanted to stop childbearing. This analysis suggests that son preference finds expression more through reproductive intentions than through actual fertility behaviour in the follow-up period.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , July 1993 , pp. 319 - 331
Copyright
Copyright © 1993, Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arnold, F. (1985) Measuring the effect of sex preference on fertility: the case of Korea. Demography, 22, 280.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arnold, F. & Liu, Z. (1986) Sex preference and fertility in China. Popul. Dev. Rev. 12, 221.Google Scholar
Basnayake, S. (1988) An analysis of reasons for rejection at a vasectomy clinic. J. Fam. Welfare, 35, 17.Google Scholar
Bennett, N.G. (1983) Sex selection of children: an overview, In: Sex Selection of Children, pp. 1–12. Edited by Bennett, N.G. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Bulatao, R.A. & Fawcett, J.T. (1981) Dynamic perspectives in the study of fertility decision-making: successive decisions within a fertility career. In: International Population Conference, Manila, Vol. 1, pp. 433–449. IUSSP, Liége.Google Scholar
Cain, M. (1986) The consequences of reproductive failure: dependence, mobility and mortality among the elderly of rural South Asia. Popul. Stud. 40, 375.Google Scholar
Caldwell, J.C., Gajanayake, I., Caldwell, B. & Caldwell, P. (1989) Is marriage delay a multiphasic response to pressures for fertility decline? The case of Sri Lanka. J. Marr. & Fam. 51, 337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caldwell, J.C., Gaminiratne, K. H. W., Caldwell, P., De Silva, S., Caldwell, B., Weeraratne, N., & Silva, P. (1987) The role of traditional fertility regulation in Sri Lanka. Stud. Fam. Plann. 18, 1.Google Scholar
Cho, L. J. & Kantrow, L. (1981) Comparative analysis of fertility orentations: World Fertility Survey findings. In: Predicting Fertility, pp. 265–288. Edited by Hendershot, G. E & Placek, P. J. Lexington Books, Lexington, USA.Google Scholar
Cleland, J., Verrall, J. & Vaessen, M. (1983) Preferences for the Sex of Children and their Influence on Reproductive Behaviour. WFS Cross-national Summaries No. 27. International Statistical Institute, Voorburg.Google Scholar
Clifford, W. B., Lake, J. L. & Brannon, Y. S. (1987) Spousal agreement on the value of children and fertility behaviour. Popul. & Environment, 9, 148.Google Scholar
Coombs, L. C. & Chang, M. C. (1981) Do husbands and wives agree? Fertility attitudes and later behaviour. Popul. & Environment, 4, 109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coombs, L. C. & Sun, T. H. (1978) Family composition preferences in a developing culture: the case of Taiwan—1973. Popul. Stud. 32, 43.Google Scholar
Das, N. (1987) Sex preference and fertility behaviour: a study of recent Indian data. Demography, 24, 517.Google Scholar
Das Gupta, M. (1987) Selective discrimination against female children in rural Punjab, India. Popul. Dev. Rev. 13, 77.Google Scholar
Department of Census and Statistics (1978) World Fertility Survey—Sri Lanka, 1975 First Report. Colombo, Sri Lanka.Google Scholar
Department of Census and Statistics (1987) Sri Lanka Contraceptive Survey, 1985. Colombo, Sri Lanka.Google Scholar
Department of Census and Statistics (1988) Demographic and Health Survey, Sri Lanka 1987. Colombo, Sri Lanka.Google Scholar
De Silva, W. I. (1990) Reproductive Preferences and Subsequent Behaviour: The Sri Lankan Experience. PhD thesis, Department of Demography, Australian National University, Canberra.Google Scholar
Freedman, D. S., Freedman, R., & Whelption, P. K. (1960) Size of family and preference for children of each sex. Am. J. Sociol. 66, 141.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gray, E. & Morrision, N. M. (1974) Influence of combinations of sexes of children on family size. J. Hered. 65, 169.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jayaweera, S. (1979) Aspects of the role and position of women. In: Modern Sri Lanka: A Society in Transition, pp. 165–180. Edited by Fernando, J & Kearney, R. N. Syracuse University Press, Syracuse.Google Scholar
Kent, M. M. & Larson, A. (1982) Family Size Preferences: Evidence from the World Fertility Surveys. Population Reference Bureau, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Khan, M. A. & Sirageldin, I. (1977) Son preference and the demand for additional children in Pakistan. Demography, 14, 481.Google Scholar
Kim, N. & Choi, B. M. (1981) Preferences for Number and Sex of Children and Contraceptive Use in Korea. WFS Scientific Reports No. 22. International Statistical Insititute, Voorburg.Google Scholar
Langford, C. M. (1982) The Fertility of Tamil Estate Workers in Sri Lanka. WFS Scientific Reports No. 31. International Statistical Institute, Voorburg.Google Scholar
Largey, G. (1972) Sex control, sex preferences, and the future of the family. Social. Biol. 19, 379.Google Scholar
Lee, R. D. (1977) Target fertility, contraception, and aggregate rates: toward a formal synthesis. Demography, 14, 455.Google Scholar
Lee, R. D. & Bulatao, R. A. (1983) The demand for children: a critical essay. In: Determinants of Fertility in Developing Countries, Vol. 1, pp. 233–287. Edited by Bulatao, R. A & Lee, R. D. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Lightbourne, R. E. & MacDonald, A. L. (1982) Family Size Preferences. WFS Comparative Studies No. 14. International Statistical Institute, Voorburg.Google Scholar
McClelland, G. H. & Hackenberg, B. H. (1978) Subjective probabilities for sex of next child: U.S. college students and Philippine villagers. J. Popul. 1, 132.Google Scholar
Namboodiri, N. K. (1974) Which couples at given parities expect to have additional births? An exercise in discriminant analysis. Demography, 11, 45.Google Scholar
Park, C. B. (1983) Preference for sons, family size, and sex ratio: an empirical study in Korea. Demography, 20, 333.Google Scholar
Pebley, A. R. & Westoff, C. F. (1982) Women's sex preferences in the United States: 1970 to 1975. Demography, 19, 177.Google Scholar
Pullum, T. W. (1980) Illustrative Analysis: Fertility Preferences in Sri Lanka. WFS Scientific Reports No. 9. International Statistical Institute, Voorburg.Google Scholar
Pullum, T. W. (1983) Correlates of Family size desire. In: Determinants of Fertility in Developing Countries, pp. 344–368. Edited by Bulatao, R. A & Lee, R. D. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
Retherford, R. D., Thapa, S. & De Silva, V. (1989) Strengthe of fertility motivation: its effects on contraceptive use in rural Sri Lanka. Asia Pacific Popul. J. 4, 21.Google Scholar
Sloane, D. N. & Lee, C. F. (1983) Sex of previous children and intentions for future births in the United States, 1965–76. Demography, 20, 353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thapa, S., Abeywickrema, D. & Wilkens, L. R. (1987) Effects of compensatory payments on vasectomy acceptance in urban Sri Lanka: a comparision of two ethnic groups. Stud. Fam. Plann. 18, 352.Google Scholar
United Nations (1981) Selected factors affecting fertility and fertility preferences in developing countries. In: World Fertility Survey Conference 1980: Record of Proceedings. Vol. 2, pp. 141–277. UN, New York.Google Scholar
Vlassoff, C. (1990a) The value of sons in an Indian Village: how widows see it. Popul. Stud. 44, 5.Google Scholar
Vlassof, C. (1990b) Fertility intentions and subsequent behavior: a longitudinal study in rural India. Stud. Fam. Plann. 21, 216.Google Scholar
Westoff, C. F., Potter, R. G. & Sagi, P. C. (1961) Family Growth in Metropolitan America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Westoff, C. F., Potter, R. G. & Sagi, P. C. (1963) The Third Child: A Study in the Prediction of Fertility. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.Google Scholar
Williamson, N. E. (1976) Sons or Daughters: A Cross Cultural Survey of Parental Differences. Sage, Beverly Hills.Google Scholar
Young, C. M. (1977) Family building differences between same sex and mixed sex families in Australia. Aust. J. Statist. 19, 83.Google Scholar