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The Negligible Effect of Free Contraception on Fertility: Experimental Evidence from Burkina Faso

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  • Pascaline Dupas
  • Seema Jayachandran
  • Adriana Lleras-Muney
  • Pauline Rossi

Abstract

We conducted a randomized trial among 14,545 households in rural Burkina Faso to test the oft-cited hypothesis that limited access to contraception is an important driver of high fertility rates in West Africa. We do not find support for this hypothesis. Women who were given free access to modern contraception for three years did not have lower birth rates; we can reject even modest effects. We cross-randomized additional interventions to address inefficiencies that might depress demand for free contraception, specifically misperceptions about the child mortality rate and social norms. Free contraception did not significantly influence fertility even in combination with these interventions.

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  • Pascaline Dupas & Seema Jayachandran & Adriana Lleras-Muney & Pauline Rossi, 2025. "The Negligible Effect of Free Contraception on Fertility: Experimental Evidence from Burkina Faso," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 115(8), pages 2659-2688, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:115:y:2025:i:8:p:2659-88
    DOI: 10.1257/aer.20241305
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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