Paradoxically, the very same society that practices gender selection may also prosecute a mother for killing an infant. The author reviews historical, cultural, and political views on infanticide. Using the case of Andrea Yates, the author illustrates the outcome of an infanticide case in American Judicial System in which a floridly psychotic mother serves a life in prison. This work explores contemporary worldwide experiences of infanticide and investigates culture specific attitudes towards causes, facilitation, and punishment of this tragic cause of infant mortality. Causes vary from poverty to stigma, dowry and insanity. The worldwide experience of infant murder reaches from facilitation of gender determination in China and Asia to lethal execution of mothers as perpetrators in the United States. Infanticide must be viewed against the political, cultural, social and legal backgrounds of societies that treat women with disregard. It is a reflection of social and cultural norms governing motherhood. The overall association of infanticide with crime, postpartum illness, population and sex selection speaks to unjust discrimination against women and children.
