T.N. posits higher figure for sex ratio at birth

In the last five years, it has been in the range of 900s, not 867 as listed in NFHS-5

While acknowledging that the National Family Health Survey-5 has presented a realistic assessment of women and child health in Tamil Nadu this year, the State has offered real-time statistics to show that the sex ratio at birth is not as bad as recorded in the NFHS data.

Using data from the Civil Registration System (available in the public domain), health officials have shown that the sex ratio at birth over the last five years has been in the 900s range, and not 867 as listed in NFHS-5. In fact, the trend has been upward, with the ratio of women to men improving incrementally over the years, and dropping marginally to 939 in 2020.

“This is data, as real as it gets, since it comes from the Civil Registration System. Parents record whether they have male or female children in the birth certificate. It is based on records and therefore are indisputable. We also have individual data on the birth certificates. They present a more realistic picture of sex ratio at birth. Sex Ratio at birth has consistently been over 930 since 2016,” explains Darez Ahmed, Mission Director, National Health Mission.