SECONDARY SEX RATIO IN A SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIAN TOWN

In this study, the human secondary sex ratio (described as the number of males per 100 female births) in Ondo, a town in South-West Nigeria was analyzed using birth record between 2001 and 2008, obtained at State Specialist Hospital. The analysis of the 11,426 births recorded during the period revealed a secondary sex ratio of 1.14, that is, 114 boys for every 100 girls born. There was a strong correlation (0.236**) between sex ratio and birth outcome indicating that gender has strong influence on child survival. There is however no significant relationship between the sex of baby and the season of birth as the ratio of male to female babies remains unchanged through the seasons. This study reports the first information on secondary sex ratio in Ondo town and gives impetus for further investigations into factors affecting secondary sex ratio among the populations at the study area.