Infant mortality among Indonesian boys and girls: effect of sibling status

The effect of gender and sibling status on the infant mortality rate (IMR) in Purworejo District, Central Java, Indonesia was investigated using direct estimation of IMR. A cohort of 1,948 infants born between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 1996 was followed for 1 year within a surveillance system. IMR was higher (not significantly) in male infants, and males (but not females) had a higher mortality rate if born after more than two siblings. This was significant in the Highland area only. Mothers' education and quality of drinking water had no modifying effect in either sex on the association between IMR and sibling status. Thus, in contrast with studies from South Asia, there are no indications of preferential treatment of infant boys compared with infant girls in Central Java.