Even though Pakistan is a highly patriarchal society, it has not featured prominently in studies focusing on son preference and sex ratios at birth. But with fertility declining and given strong son preference (Pakistan has one of the highest desired sex ratios in the world), how will Pakistani families respond? Using data for 2006-07, I show clear evidence of both sex selection practice and differential stopping behavior. An earlier survey (1990-91) shows only modest evidence of differential stopping behavior. The comparison of the two survey rounds also supports the increasing role of son preference in fertility behavior in Pakistan. With increasing access to contraceptive and sex selection technology, both differential stopping and sex selection are likely to continue increasing for some time.Master of Art
