Stress factors

I was upset on many levels when reading your coverage about new research on sex determinants during pregnancy, “Stressed-out women more likely to produce daughters” (17 October).

Your choice of words throughout the whole article – starting with “stressed-out women” in the headline – reinforces the view of women as over-emotional beings who, now, also influence offspring with their hysteria.

The article seems to suggest that having a baby girl born in the family is less than fortunate, possibly the result of some underdevelopment due to high stress levels of the mother.

Although the experts seem to acknowledge that “more research is needed to see if the link between stress and sex ratio is genuine”, the headline and accompanying picture make the point to the sleepy, early- morning reader that the information is in fact true and tested.

Ellen Murula

Student (University of Glasgow)

Glasgow