2007/11/06 by William H. James · 148 citations
Medicine · Social Sciences · #Biology #Birth, Development, and Health #Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences #Endocrinology #Genetics #Hormone #Internal medicine #Medicine #Offspring #Perspective (graphical) #Pregnancy #Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1677/joe-07-0446
published in Journal of Endocrinology 198(1), 3-15 (Bioscientifica)
openalex publication_date 2007/11/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03
An attempt is made to summarize the evidence that the offspring sex ratios (proportions male at birth) of mammals (including man) are causally related to the hormone levels of both parents around the time of conception. Almost all of the cited studies were reported by non-endocrinologists. This being so, it would seem desirable to have comments of endocrinologists on this topic. The purpose of this article is to elicit such comment. Readers are requested to read the accompanying editorial (Clark & Davis 2008) to gain a better perspective of this hypothesis article.