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Does Family Planning Increase Children's Opportunities? Evidence from the War on Poverty and the Title X

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Listed:
  • Martha Bailey

    (University of Michigan)

  • Olga Malkova

    (University of Kentucky)

  • Zoë McLaren

    (University of Michigan)

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between parents’ access to family planning and the economic resources of the average child. Using the county-level introduction of U.S. family planning programs between 1964 and 1973, we find that children born after programs began had 2.5% higher household incomes. They were also 7% less likely to live in poverty and 11% less likely to live in households receiving public assistance. Even with extreme assumptions about selection, these estimates are large enough to imply that family planning programs directly increased children’s resources, including increases in mothers’ paid work and increased childbearing within marriage.

Suggested Citation

  • Martha Bailey & Olga Malkova & Zoë McLaren, 2016. "Does Family Planning Increase Children's Opportunities? Evidence from the War on Poverty and the Title X," Sciences Po publications 57, Sciences Po.
    • Handle: RePEc:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/4m2172qdla9frbe808qonnn40r
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    Cited by:

    1. Martha J. Bailey & Jason M. Lindo, 2017. "Access and Use of Contraception and Its Effects on Women’s Outcomes in the U.S," NBER Working Papers 23465, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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