The old ethos that parents-to-be welcome a boy or girl equally “as long as the baby is healthy” may be about to change. Tel Aviv researchers have found that bearing males is riskier than females. Among the potential hazards: male fetuses present higher risk of excessive growth in utero, which can make natural birth more difficult and necessitate a C-section. They also are more likely to rupture the embryonic sac too early and be born prematurely. The scientists say this male vulnerability continues throughout life: “Men are known to have a shorter lifespan, are more susceptible to infections, and have less chance of withstanding disease than women. In short, men are the weaker sex,” one explained.