Sex Imbalances at Birth in Migratory Context in Western Europe: Evidence from Italy

Elena Ambrosetti, Università di Roma "La Sapienza"
Livia Ortensi, Università degli Studi di Milano - Bicocca
Cinzia Castagnaro, Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT)
Marina Attili, Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT)

This paper aims to explore SRB of migrants in Italy in order to shed light on the phenomenon of sex selection at birth and to help to address policies against that practice. Our objective is to analyze births from mothers with a foreign background from countries where sex selection at birth is widespread and that are among the largest immigrant communities in Italy. Data stems from the Survey on births from the Resident Population Registers and from the First Regional Survey on Sexual and Reproductive Health of Migrant Women held in Lombardy in 2010. Average SRB will be calculated for the period 1999-2011 by mothers’ country of birth. Births of first, second and third order will be analyzed. A comparison with SRB in the origin countries will be provided. Using a multilevel approach the relation among SRB of children and the mothers’ eventual experience of abortion will be explored.