The sex ratio at birth, the 10/17 Las Vegas shooting and the 01/18 Hawaii false missile alert

Abstract

Introduction: Males are born usually in excess of females and the ratio is often expressed as M/T (male divided by total births). Many acute and stressful factors have been shown to influence M/T, and these transiently lower M/T for a one month period, three to five months after such events. This study was carried out in order to ascertain whether the Las Vegas shooting (10/2017) and the Hawaii false missile alert (01/2018) influenced M/T in the respective populations. Methods: Monthly live births by gender for the states of Nevada and Hawaii for 2016–2018 were obtained from the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Results: There were no significant dips in M/T for any of the relevant months (3–5 months) following these events. Discussion: Research to date has shown M/T dips following catastrophic or tragic events. Equivalent dips were not noted in this study. The reasons for this may be one or a combination of the following. The population size was not sufficiently large in order to detect an M/T dip. Alternatively, the events were not felt to be sufficiently momentous by the populace such that an M/T dip was not produced. Yet another possibility is that these particular populations are somehow hardier and more resistant to such influences. Not all acute events may result in a visible/significant reduction in M/T.