Sex selection and gender balance

Type Working Paper - American Economic Journal: Microeconomics
Title Sex selection and gender balance
Author(s)
Volume 3
Issue 1
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2011
Page numbers 214-244
URL http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/22698/1/MPRA_paper_22698.pdf
Abstract
We model the equilibrium sex ratio when parents can choose the sex of their child. With intrinsic son preference , sex selection results in a male-biased sex ratio. This is inefficient due to a marriage market congestion externality. Medical innovations that facilitate selection aggravate the inefficiency. If son preference arises endogenously, due to population growth causing an excess supply of women on the marriage market, selection may improve welfare. Empirically, sex selection causes an excess of males and reduces welfare in China. In most parts of India, cohort sizes are growing, implying an excess supply of women.

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