While female infanticide was looked down on socially in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, in Asia, it has always had a historical mark. However, this does not mean those religions were okay with infanticide. Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism also condemn infanticide. It just so happens that the countries who practice those religions are among the poorest, so the female infanticide was mainly to help provide for the family.

The main reason for female infanticide, especially in India, is because the family must provide her with a dowry for marriage. If the family is in poverty, then, to them, the obvious thing to do is to do away with the child.

China viewed female children as only consumers, and having no real place on their farm to produce food. So because of this, the family usually would kill their girls. (Which, when you think of it, what is the mother considered then?)