Fetal Damage Risk Kraemer's research showed that the male fetus is at greater risk of death or damage, and by the time the baby is born a boy is four to six weeks less developed than a girl. Boys generally have more psychological problems during their early upbringing and require attention, making them more vulnerable to poor parental care. The fact that they are often treated as more resilient than their sisters means that they suppress some faculties. A boy who is full of sensitivity and vulnerability will have shut down a lot of his faculties within the first two years. The biological disadvantages and those related to how males are treated in society and the family do not stop at childhood.
Suicides are three times as common among males than among females.
The traditional attitude that 'boys will be boys' needs exploring further. Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Web Copyright 2000 ABC News Internet Ventures.