IN MANY COUNTRIES, the number of male and female adults is roughly the same. This is due to a slightly higher number of male births (usually about 105 boys for every 100 girls), offset by more deaths among males than among females at all ages. These features are recognized as the main characteristics of human populations. However, in China, Azerbaijan and Armenia, it is currently observed that as many as 115 male births take place for every 100 female births. This skewed population sex ratio reflects a preference for sons, in combination with increasing access to new sex-selection technology. The result is millions of “missing” women – a growing crisis for women and for their societies.
