CHILD GENDER PREFERENCES AND ITS IMPACT ON MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH IN INDIA: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Priyanka Bomble, Independent
Suresh Jungari, International Institute for Population Sciences

South Asian societies are known for gender-preferred societies of preferring sons over daughters. Past research has documented the varied consequences of child gender preferences. However, there is lack of evidence on how child gender preferences impact maternal mental health in recent years in India. To fill this existing research gap, the current systematic review aims to document the child's gender preferences and their impact on maternal mental health, including antepartum and postpartum depression, fear of childbirth and any stress or anxiety. We have conducted a literature search from six large databases, including studies published from 2000 to 2022. PRISMA guidelines were adopted to report the findings of the review. A total of 15 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. systematic review highlights the significant impact of child gender preferences, particularly son preference, on maternal mental health in India. The prevalence of postnatal depression ranged from 9.5% to 48.5%, with perinatal depression affecting 6% to 23.9% of mothers. Fear of childbirth was reported by 13.1% to 45% of mothers, while stress and anxiety affected 11.5% to 55.7%. Son preference emerged as a critical factor influencing maternal mental health, contributing to postpartum depression, prenatal depression, and anxiety during pregnancy.

Keywords: Health and Morbidity

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