Sex Preferences, Sex Control, and the Status of Women

A variety of studies have suggested that boys are preferred to girls as children in US & other societies. 3 techniques are now developing which may permit choice of the sex of one's children: rhythm & douche, selective abortion following amniocentesis, & separation of androsperms & gnynosperms. At least a significant minority of Americans would be interested in sex control. However, this practice would impose noticeable costs on F's, both through their medical character & through the social changes resulting from having more M's than F's, & more first born M's than F's. The situation would be even more problematic for Third World nations, where M's are more strongly preferred, & abortion often more accepted than in the US. W. H. Stoddard.