A Critical Component of Gender Favoritism—Prenatal Sex Determination and Son Preference Among the Left‐Behind Wives of Solo Out‐Migrants Within Rural India

ABSTRACT In India, the government has imposed stringent restrictions to prevent prenatal sex determination (PNSD). The marginal workers from rural India often migrate solo for economic activities, leaving their wives (referred to as LBWMs, left‐behind wives of migrants) behind at the place of origin. The present study aims, firstly, to analyze the association of various sociodemographic factors with LBWMs' PNSD preference and, secondly, to identify the predictors of the PNSD preference. A cross‐sectional survey of 328 LBWMs selected from 25 villages across two rural blocks in the Patna district was conducted. Binary logistic regression was employed to determine significant predictors of PNSD preference. About 70% of the LBWMs reported a willingness to know the gender of the fetus. A critical finding was that the “son preference” in LBWMs is associated with their PNSD preference. “Women's autonomy” was found to be the strongest predictor (AOR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.69–3.43), followed by “Self‐help group membership” (AOR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.65–4.29), “husband's literacy” (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.12–2.31), and “LBWM's literacy” (AOR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.16–3.34). Furthermore, “son preference” (AOR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.25–0.81) was also found to be a significant determinant of the PNSD preference. The present study offers a unique and novel lens regarding the PNSD behavior of one of the socially vulnerable subsets of women. The study reports a positive association between “son preference” and PNSD preference, affirming that the existing restrictions are on the right track. However, the study suggests that it is high time to raise awareness among LBWMs regarding PNSD and discourage sex‐selective abortions.