Men are the weaker sex

A study at Tel Aviv University proved that male fetuses are at a higher risk in the womb and they continue to maintain a high level of risk throughout their lives, whose lifespan is shorter than that of women

Nurses in maternity wards often tell women that a difficult pregnancy is a sign of a boy. Now a study at Tel Aviv University has proven that male babies bring with them a greater package of risks than females, maybe not as in this popular legend but quite distinct.

In a study of 66 births at the Rabin Medical Center, Prof. Mark Glazerman, chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, together with Dr. Yariv Yogev and Dr. Nili Melamed from the department, found that while girls were Having a higher risk of restricted growth in the womb, and breech birth, the risks to male fetuses are much more common.

"Pregnancies with male fetuses are often more complicated," says Prof. Glazerman. "They more often end up with an amniotic sac hernia and suffer from premature birth." Prof. Glazerman also added: "These male fetuses are more likely to suffer from excessive growth in the uterus, which makes childbirth more difficult and leads to more caesarean sections.

In a study presented to the Israeli Society for Gender-Based Medicine, the researchers concluded that male fetuses arrive with a higher tendency to complications, but said that the findings should be viewed in the appropriate light. "Boys are infinitely more dangerous," said Prof. Glazerman. But not every pregnancy with a male fetus should be classified as high risk just because of that. This is just one factor that helps doctors decide when to look at the whole picture." added

"However, in general it can be said that boys are more vulnerable in their lives in the womb, and this vulnerability continues to exist throughout their lives." says Prof. Glazerman, an expert in gender-based medicine. "Men are known to have a shorter life expectancy, are more susceptible to infectious diseases and have less chances of surviving the disease than women. In short, men are the weaker sex."

According to Prof. Glazerman, these new evidences confirm the old women's story according to which boys cause bigger problems in the womb and in the delivery rooms. He also takes this position one step further: "The research does not enable this myth, but adds to what we know about the male sex. Boys are also associated with higher risk during infancy and may be more likely to engage in risky behaviors later in life.

Good reasons for the associated risks

Boys take risks as a result of peer pressure, and the presence of testosterone in the male's bloodstream may lead to even more dangerous promiscuity. However, this is not necessarily bad, Prof. Glazerman believes. "Boys become soldiers, construction workers and firemen," he added. "They take these risks quite naturally to protect their company and they train to do so without asking questions."

Prof. Glazerman, who also serves as chairman of the Helen Schneider Women's Hospital, and deputy director of the Rabin Medical Center, where the study was conducted. He is also the founder of the Israeli Society for Gender-Based Medicine and has done fundamental work in supporting a gender-based approach to medicine. Prof. Glazerman suggests that the new point of view about the role of gender in medicine must be reflected in many fields including internal medicine, gastroenterology, orthopedics, cardiology and more.
"You can almost say that men and women are members of different (biological species)." said. "They complement each other, but the medical approach according to which one size fits all causes injustice to both men and women. Men and women differ in so many aspects, and these differences are more significant than their similarities."

For information on the website of the Association of Friends of Tel Aviv University in the USA