The study investigates whether girls and boys receive equal parental health investments in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), focusing on five core components of nurturing care as defined by the World Health Organization: breastfeeding, immunisation, prenatal check-ups, postnatal check-ups, and healthcare expenditure. The authors synthesise findings from 78 studies covering 55 LMICs, with 52 studies and over 231 effect sizes included in the meta-analysis, drawing on a combined sample of nearly 17 million participants. A meta-regression examines whether country-level gender inequality moderates observed disparities.

The meta-analysis reveals:

• Girls face consistent disadvantages in early health investments, including breastfeeding, immunisation, and pre- and postnatal check-ups compared to boys

• Gender disparities are more severe in countries with higher Gender Inequality Index scores

• The gender gap in early childcare appears to be narrowing over time, suggesting gradual progress — though significant inequalities persist across many regions

• No significant gender differences were found in healthcare spending, though the limited evidence base calls for more research on intra-household resource allocation

Full open access article can be accessed on the website of the publisher.