ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the abnormal death rates of female infants as the direct cause of the low female-to-male ratios. The causes of these female deaths, called fatal daughter syndrome, also impair the capacity of Indian women (excepting in Kerala) to create higher levels of well-being for their families. The higher female than male child mortality in the Khanna Study turned up particularly revealing evidence. The most recent analysis of fatal daughter syndrome notes the slight numerical advantage of males at birth balanced by a slightly greater vulnerability of male infants, creating a parity between the sexes sometime after the age of five. Indian census data allows us to identify districts with low and very low female-to-male ratios caused by fatal daughter syndrome. Jean Dre'ze summarizes the essence of the Nayar model of gender equity the key to modern well-being in Kerala: Fatal daughter syndrome has been identified and described as a major cause of female mortality.
