Comparative Analysis of Variations in Human Sex Ratios of Live Births Among African Populations and at Global Levels

Abstract

Definition: The final net live birth delivery from the mother's womb, with distinct male and female genetic traits, forms a ratio of male live births per 100 female live births, termed as Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB). Study areas and source of data: The study areas are Africa and major worldwide continents and countries. The basic data are compiled from the National Population and Housing Censuses, Demographic Sample Surveys, Demographic and Health Surveys, and Vital Registration Systems.Analytical approaches: The factors influencing the variations in SRB are identified by reviewing various documents, analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques, and statistical measures of central tendency and dispersion. Results: The ratios are consistently higher for advanced countries than the developing countries, with highest for China and India. The ANOVA results show slight differences among the 50 African countries but show differences among the African regional states, whereas the standard deviation of the SRB among the advanced countries, including some Asian and Latin American countries shows non-significant variations. In conclusion, the mean SRB for African populations is 103 as against 106 for other countries.