While China has reported a drop in its birth and fertility rates, the number of male babies is growing, illustrating the preference for boys. 8 boys (The newest Arizona Post 22 Apr. 1993, 1; Xinhua 21 Apr. 1993). The natural world average is considered to be about 106 boys born for every 100 girls (The newest York Minutes 17 June 1991), and Chinese figures for first-born infants are fairly normal. The imbalance appears to occur in later births. Presumably this is because “couples will accept a daughter if it is their first child, because they expect that they can find a way legally or illegally to have another child” (Ibid.).