IMPLICATIONS OF SEX PREFERENCE FOR POPULATION GROWTH AND MATERNAL HEALTH IN OBUDU AND OBANLIKU, CROSS RIVER STATE, NIGERIA

A lot has been noted about children sex preference in the Nigerian and African societies, but nothing has been done to tie this to the problem of population growth and the health of women. The paper examined the effects of child sex preference on population growth and maternal health. Respondents were drawn from the rural areas of Obudu and Obanliku local government areas in Cross River State using the survey method with questionnaire as the instrument of data collection. Findings revealed that sex preference has an encouraging effect on population growth and exposes women to a prolong period of childbearing which has significant health implications for the health of not just the mother but also the infants. This problem cannot be legislated; sustain period of reorientation and emancipation of women has the strongest hope of addressing the problem.