| Abstract: | A survey of 1 child families in the Shihezi area showed a higher ratio of boys, 920 boys vs. 822 girls (1.12:1.00). There was also a higher ratio of boys among children born between 1975-1980, but the proportion of girls was higher among children born before 1974. The ratio of boys was higher among firstborn children born between 1976-1980 (1.086:1.00), while the sex ratio was 1.00 among 2nd born children born between 1976-1980. School children between age 6-18 showed 6266 boys and 6218 girls (1.01:1.00). The sex ratio of the total population in the Shihezi area was 1.05:1:00; this coincides with our national ratio of 1.08:1.00 (1953 census) and the world sex ratio of 1.0035:1.00 in 1975. The universal occurrence of more males than females is probably a result of physiological factors. It is actually beneficial to the country to have a slightly higher ratio of males because many jobs are more suitable for men because of their physical condition and the accidental death rate is also higher for men. The slightly higher percentage of boys among single child families was not statistically significant (P0.05). |
