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Fertility Intention, Son Preference, and Second Childbirth: Survey Findings from Shaanxi Province of China

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  • Quanbao Jiang
  • Ying Li
  • Jesús Sánchez-Barricarte

Abstract

China is characterized by a low fertility intention, a strong preference for sons, as well as a stringent birth control policy. In this study, we used data from a Fertility Intention and Behavior Survey of 2101 questionnaires conducted in 2013 in Shaanxi Province of northwestern China, and event history analysis methods to examine the effect of fertility intention and preference for sons on the probability of having a second child. The results not only validate the correlation of fertility intention with having a second child empirically, even in the low fertility intention and stringent birth control context of China, but also show that women with a preference for sons were less likely to have a second child. Women with son preference turn to sex-selective abortion to ensure that their first child is a son, thus reducing the likelihood of a second child and decreasing the fertility rate. Our findings also shed light on China’s potential fertility policy adjustment. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016

Suggested Citation

  • Quanbao Jiang & Ying Li & Jesús Sánchez-Barricarte, 2016. "Fertility Intention, Son Preference, and Second Childbirth: Survey Findings from Shaanxi Province of China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(3), pages 935-953, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:125:y:2016:i:3:p:935-953
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-015-0875-z
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    4. Wei Guo & Yan Tan & Xican Yin & Zhongwei Sun, 2019. "Impact of PM 2.5 on Second Birth Intentions of China’s Floating Population in a Low Fertility Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-17, November.
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    6. Rashid Javed & Mazhar Mughal, 2022. "Changing patterns of son preference and fertility in Pakistan," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(6), pages 1086-1109, August.
    7. Pengkun Wu & Yuanyuan Wu & Chong Wu, 2018. "Research on Fertility Policy in China: The Relative Necessity for Reform Among the Different Provinces," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 135(2), pages 751-767, January.
    8. Zhiming Cheng & Vinod Mishra & Ingrid Nielsen & Russell Smyth & Ben Zhe Wang, 2017. "Wellbeing in China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 1-10, May.
    9. Heini Väisänen & Ewa Batyra, 2022. "The effect of birth intention status on infant mortality: a fixed effects analysis of 60 countries," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2022-032, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    10. Zhang, Yanan & Harper, Sarah, 2022. "The impact of son or daughter care on Chinese older adults' mental health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    11. Zheng Shen & Derek S. Brown & Xiaodong Zheng & Hualei Yang, 2022. "Women’s Off-Farm Work Participation and Son Preference in Rural China," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 41(3), pages 899-928, June.
    12. Nie, Peng & Wang, Lu & Sousa-Poza, Alfonso, 2020. "Peer Effects and Fertility Preferences in China: Evidence from the China Labor-Force Dynamics Survey," IZA Discussion Papers 13448, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Zurab Abramishvili & William Appleman & Sergii Maksymovych, 2019. "Parental Gender Preference in the Balkans and Scandinavia: Gender Bias or Differential Costs?," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp643, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    14. Pengkun Wu & Qing Wu & Yudan Dou, 2017. "Simulating population development under new fertility policy in China based on system dynamics model," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(5), pages 2171-2189, September.
    15. Javed, Rashid & Mughal, Mazhar, 2020. "Preference for boys and length of birth intervals in Pakistan," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2), pages 140-152.
    16. Zhiyun Li & Hualei Yang & Xianchen Zhu & Lin Xie, 2021. "A Multilevel Study of the Impact of Egalitarian Attitudes Toward Gender Roles on Fertility Desires in China," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 40(4), pages 747-769, August.
    17. Xing Wang & Junqing Wu & Yuyan Li & Ying Zhou & Yiran Li & Rui Zhao & Qi Tong & Mingzhong Luo, 2019. "Changes in the Prevalence of Induced Abortion in the Floating Population in Major Cities of China 2007–2014," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-12, September.
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