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Impact of Migration on Fertility and Abortion: Evidence From the Household and Welfare Study of Accra

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  • Slawa Rokicki
  • Livia Montana
  • Günther Fink

Abstract

Over the last few decades, total fertility rates, child morbidity, and child mortality rates have declined in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Among the most striking trends observed are the rapid rate of urbanization and the often remarkably large gaps in fertility between rural and urban areas. Although a large literature has highlighted the importance of migration and urbanization within countries’ demographic transitions, relatively little is known regarding the impact of migration on migrants’ reproductive health outcomes in general and abortion in particular. In this article, we use detailed pregnancy and migration histories collected as part of the Household and Welfare Study of Accra (HAWS) to examine the association between migration and pregnancy outcomes among women residing in the urban slums of Accra, Ghana. We find that the completed fertility patterns of lifetime Accra residents are remarkably similar to those of residents who migrated. Our results suggest that recent migrants have an increased risk of pregnancy but not an increased risk of live birth in the first years post-move compared with those who had never moved. This gap seems to be largely explained by an increased risk of miscarriage or abortion among recent migrants. Increasing access to contraceptives for recent migrants has the potential to reduce the incidence of unwanted pregnancies, lower the prevalence of unsafe abortion, and contribute to improved maternal health outcomes. Copyright Population Association of America 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Slawa Rokicki & Livia Montana & Günther Fink, 2014. "Impact of Migration on Fertility and Abortion: Evidence From the Household and Welfare Study of Accra," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(6), pages 2229-2254, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:51:y:2014:i:6:p:2229-2254
    DOI: 10.1007/s13524-014-0339-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Barrios, Salvador & Bertinelli, Luisito & Strobl, Eric, 2006. "Climatic change and rural-urban migration: The case of sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 357-371, November.
    2. David E. Bloom & David Canning & Günther Fink & Tarun Khanna & Patrick Salyer, 2007. "Urban Settlement: Data, Measures, and Trends," PGDA Working Papers 2907, Program on the Global Demography of Aging.
    3. Charles Ackah & Denis Medvedev, 2012. "Internal migration in Ghana: determinants and welfare impacts," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 39(10), pages 764-784, August.
    4. George J. Borjas, 2021. "Self-Selection and the Earnings of Immigrants," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Foundational Essays in Immigration Economics, chapter 4, pages 69-91, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    5. David E. Bloom & David Canning & Günther Fink & Tarun Khanna & Patrick Salyer, 2007. "Urban Settlement: Data, Measures, and Trends," PGDA Working Papers 2907, Program on the Global Demography of Aging.
    6. Philippe Bocquier & Nyovani Madise & Eliya Zulu, 2011. "Is There an Urban Advantage in Child Survival in Sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence From 18 Countries in the 1990s," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 48(2), pages 531-558, May.
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    1. Derya Bilgin & Sibel Selim, 2021. "Analysis in Terms of Adaptation Hypothesis of the Spatial Relationship Between Migration And Fertility in Turkey," Journal of Economy Culture and Society, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 64(64), pages 47-72, December.
    2. Philip Verwimp & Davide Osti & Gudrun Ostby, 2017. "Migration, Forced Displacement and Fertility during Civil War: A Survival Analysis," Working Papers CEB 17-016, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    3. Philip Anglewicz & Mark VanLandingham & Lucinda Manda-Taylor & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2018. "Health Selection, Migration, and HIV Infection in Malawi," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(3), pages 979-1007, June.
    4. Cassels, Susan & Jenness, Samuel M. & Biney, Adriana A.E. & Dodoo, F. Nii-Amoo, 2017. "Geographic mobility and potential bridging for sexually transmitted infections in Agbogbloshie, Ghana," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 27-39.
    5. Guadalupe Aguilera & Kim Korinek, 2020. "Immigrant Fertility in Comparative Perspective: South Africa and the United States," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(1), pages 297-322, February.
    6. Zheng Shen & Xiaodong Zheng & Hualei Yang, 2020. "The fertility effects of public pension: Evidence from the new rural pension scheme in China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-17, June.

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