Women abort males but we all get better

[James Brody]

The data self-organize...

JB
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"Hard Times Better for Female Fetuses, Study Suggests
Mothers-to-be may spontaneously abort more boys during hard times, researchers say

By Randy Dotinga
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Jan. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Males may be the stronger sex, but females rule the roost when it comes to numbers and new research is providing some possible insight into why.

Nearly two centuries of Swedish genealogy records suggest that pregnant women are more likely to spontaneously abort male fetuses and embryos during times of stress. The resulting generations of children are stronger and actually live longer than those born during good times, the researchers contend.

The findings suggest that being conceived in difficult times doesn't hurt the male fetuses who are actually born, said study co-author Ralph Catalano, a professor of public health at the University of California, Berkeley. They do just fine.

Instead, hard times may hurt the weaker fetuses and embryos -- disproportionately male -- that don't make the cut. "You get rid of the weak, and on average the cohort lives longer," Catalano said."

More at http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=530511