How preference for sons affects women's mental health in rural India

In rural India, a strong cultural expectation favors sons over daughters, placing significant pressure on women to conceive male children. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explores how the birth of a firstborn son impacts the mental well-being of women of childbearing age and their mothers-in-law, with broader implications for household dynamics and economic outcomes.

The study surveyed married women in their reproductive years and their co-resident mothers-in-law in Jaunpur district, Uttar Pradesh. The findings revealed that mothers-in-law had a 15% lower risk of depression or anxiety when their daughters-in-law had a firstborn son, equivalent to the impact of inheritance reforms or pension programs.

However, no such effects were observed for daughters-in-law overall. The researchers noted that the mental health consequences intensified as daughters-in-law aged, with younger women experiencing more stress from the lack of a son. The results suggested that firstborn sons positively influenced the mothers-in-law's approval of family planning and supported women's employment opportunities, thereby enhancing their labor force participation and economic prospects.

The study highlighted the challenge of altering entrenched social norms, which are prevalent across Southeast Asia and Africa, though there are community-level initiatives to encourage open discussions about family planning.