The relevance of the epidemiology of human sex ratios at birth to some medical problems

Abstract

James WH. The relevance of the epidemiology of human sex ratios at birth to some medical problems. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2012; 26: 181-189. The human sex ratio (proportion male at birth) shows considerable variation which is central to reproductive epidemiology. For example, it has reportedly shown significant secular trends and wartime variation, and it has shown replicated variation with parental exposure to several deleterious chemicals. However, scientific progress in identifying the causes of these forms of variation has been very slow and, as described here, this has elicited some scepticism. Benefits may be expected from identifying these causes. Two (non-competing) hypotheses have emerged, the first relating to the hormonal regulation of sex ratio at conception, and the second to the sex-selective effects of stressors during pregnancy. It is shown here that if the first of these hypotheses was substantially correct, it would illuminate a number of scientific and medical problems, for example, the causes of autism and of selected sex-related congenital malformations and obstetric pathologies. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.