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Open research questions in Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences

355 gap statements mined from Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 3,301 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • The study highlights the need for further research on the factors influencing the effectiveness of government schemes in addressing social issues.

    Impact of Government Girl Child Schemes on Reducing Female Feticide in Maharashtra · 2026 · DOI

  • As elevated sex ratios at birth have not been previously documented across this group, this is consistent with the idea that ETA bans place additional pressure on individuals to have a son now, spreading sex selection to lower parities.

    Early-term abortion bans and sex selection after Dobbs v Jackson · 2026 · DOI

  • The effects of delayed reproduction on population growth and structure are not well understood. Prior work has focused on the negative effects of delayed reproduction on population growth.

    Delayed reproduction has unexpected effects on population growth and structure · 2026 · DOI

  • The age at first birth may not accurately reflect when people first attempt to conceive. There is a lack of direct measurement of the age at first attempt to conceive.

    Quantifying the postponement in the age at first attempt to conceive and its consequences · 2026 · DOI

  • Limitations of this study are discussed, as well as whether the MIH framework can be extended to accommodate these findings, or if alternative explanations are needed to resolve these discrepancies.

    The role of miscarriage and sororal birth order in male same-sex orientation: Theoretical predictions and empirical data · 2026 · DOI

  • While some studies report altered sex ratios in natural and IVF pregnancies with high BMI, evidence in IUI, a milder form of assisted reproduction Is lacking.

    L26/P-858 Preconception overweight and obesity and offspring sex in women undergoing intrauterine insemination · 2026 · DOI

  • Given that male embryos may be more vulnerable to adverse environments, it remains unknown whether elevated preconception BMI influences fetal sex distribution specifically among infertile women conceiving via IUI.

    L26/P-858 Preconception overweight and obesity and offspring sex in women undergoing intrauterine insemination · 2026 · DOI

  • The authors highlight the need for a framework to analyze the trade-offs in public policy when the electorate includes different age groups. The paper discusses the lack of research on the implications of children's suffrage for welfare and economic development.

    Fertility and welfare under Demeny voting · 2026 · DOI

  • Prior studies have not fully addressed the role of household structure in shaping fertility behavior.

    The impact of household structure on fertility: A study in Vietnam · 2026 · DOI

  • The study must also address the issue of uncertainty in the regional contributions to changes in life expectancy. The study needs to account for the complex relationships between regional mortality, population composition, and life expectancy.

    Life expectancy in China and the contribution of regional dynamics · 2026 · DOI

  • The correlation between educational competition and family size remains largely unexplored. The broader social consequences of educational competition entail a relatively new area of research. There is a lack of empirical evidence on the relationship between educational competition and family size in the context of China.

    Educational competition and reduced family size in China · 2026 · DOI

  • Conclusions and limitations This study uses the distribution of PTCs as a proxy indicator for educational competition and empirically examines the relationship between educational competition and family size in the context of China.

    Educational competition and reduced family size in China · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper notes that the sample may be more reflective of women from rural or less-educated backgrounds. It acknowledges that the results may be subject to measurement error, particularly in the measurement of years of schooling. The paper also notes that the analysis is limited to women aged 35 to 50, which may not be representative of all women in China.

    The Effect of Women’s Education on Fertility in China: Evidence from Extensive and Intensive Margins · 2026 · DOI

  • Measuring prenatal and early-life conditions in historical populations is challenging due to the lack of direct information on maternal health, fetal development, household nutrition, and childhood disease exposure. The study uses population-level indicators of prenatal, infant, and childhood conditions to assess early-life adversity, which may not capture individual-level variation.

    Adverse early-life conditions and their impact on the marriage market and social mobility: The Poznań birth cohort, 1830–1855 · 2026 · DOI

  • The existing literature lacks a clear understanding of the relationship between non-partner sexual violence and son preference. There is a need to investigate the perceived safety costs of daughters in the context of non-partner sexual violence. The gap in research lies in understanding how non-partner sexual violence affects son preference, particularly in the context of cultural measures.

    Unsafe daughters: sexual violence in public spheres and intrahousehold preference for sons · 2026 · DOI

  • It notes that evidence on the effectiveness of direct policies, such as bans on sex-selective abortions and conditional cash transfers, remains scarce and inconclusive. The paper aims to fill this gap by examining the impact of cross-border marriage opportunities on households' sex-selection behavior.

    From sons to daughters: international marriage migration and sex imbalances at birth · 2026 · DOI

  • Because both the exposure and 306 Journal of Health and Social Behavior 67(2) outcome are likely underreported, the estimates should be considered floor effects.

    Armed Conflict and Unwanted Births in Colombia · 2025 · DOI

  • Country-level trends concerning ICPD’s impact, as well as the relative contribution of abortion versus contraception in the post-ICDP period, can vary widely, as can the amount of uncertainty in the estimates.

    Undesired Births, Contraception, and Abortion Before and After the Cairo Consensus: Trends in Conditional Undesired Birth Rates and the Impact of Contraception and Abortion · 2025 · DOI

  • Against the backdrop of the rising use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), we argue that more reflection on the measurement and conceptualization of the contribution of ART to fertility rates is warranted.

    Conceptualizing and Measuring the Contribution of Assisted Reproductive Technologies to Fertility Rates · 2025 · DOI

  • The study only examined individuals who survived at least age 15. The study only examined individuals who entered marriage by age 45. The study relied on population-level indicators of prenatal, infant, and childhood conditions, which may not capture individual-level experiences. The study may have been limited by the availability of data on socioeconomic position at birth and marriage.

    Adverse early-life conditions and their impact on the marriage market and social mobility: The Poznań birth cohort, 1830–1855 · 2026 · DOI

  • Although a few studies have examined group-specific trends, hardly any have covered the post-pandemic years-an important step for revealing whether any uptick in 2021 had a lasting impact on fertility structures.

    Swedish Fertility Developments Before, During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic · 2025 · DOI

  • Globally, net migration accounted for 45% of urban growth between 2000 and 2020, but its contribution varied widely between cities, concentrating growth in some urban centers while others expanded primarily through natural increase.

    Global divergence in urban demographic change and migration patterns · 2026 · DOI

  • The current dataset is limited in fully examining the cohort effects - The study does not incorporate additional covariates, such as spousal education, household income, and availability of formal daycare programs in a community - The study's findings may have been more refined by using alternative cohort…

    Women’s Labor Force Participation Following Parenthood in China: Cohort Shifts, Educational Variations, and Urban-Rural Differences · 2026 · DOI

  • Consider alternative data source, such as the China Family Panel Studies, to better address issues of endogeneity and cross-validate the findings - Incorporate additional covariates, such as spousal education, household income, and availability of formal daycare programs in a community, to further unpack the mechanisms leading to differential LFP trajectories - Explore the life course processes related to gender…

    Women’s Labor Force Participation Following Parenthood in China: Cohort Shifts, Educational Variations, and Urban-Rural Differences · 2026 · DOI

  • Further analysis of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between women's education and fertility, - Investigation of the impact of the Compulsory Education Law on women's education…

    The Effect of Women’s Education on Fertility in China: Evidence from Extensive and Intensive Margins · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) The effects of delayed reproduction on population growth and structure are not well understood (“Delayed reproduction has unexpected effects on population growth and structure”, 2026); (2) There is a lack of direct measurement of the age at first attempt to conceive (“Quantifying the postponement in the age at first attempt to conceive and its…”, 2026); (3) While some studies report altered sex ratios in natural and IVF pregnancies with high BMI, evidence in IUI, a milder form of assisted reproduction Is lacking (“L26/P-858 Preconception overweight and obesity and offspring sex in women…”, 2026); (4) The paper discusses the lack of research on the implications of children's suffrage for welfare and economic development (“Fertility and welfare under Demeny voting”, 2026); (5) The correlation between educational competition and family size remains largely unexplored (“Educational competition and reduced family size in China”, 2026). 355 gap statements have been mined from Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 3,301 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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