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Education Expansion as a Policy Tool for Reductions in Infant and Maternal Mortality

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  • SONIA BHALOTRA

    (Department of Economics, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom)

  • DAMIAN CLARKE

    (Department of Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom3Department of Economics, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile)

Abstract

We investigate the association of women’s education with maternal and child mortality. Using a large panel of data consisting of 185 economies over 30 years, we find that moving an additional 1 percentage point of women into primary education reduces the rate of maternal death by 4.6% and the rate of infant mortality by 1.9%. These relationships are nonlinear, with secondary education on average having a smaller impact than primary education, and tertiary education having no such impact. The impact of primary education is larger in South Asia and Central Asia than elsewhere, but it is present in all regions other than Europe and North America. Our estimates reveal that a 1 standard deviation increase in the share of women with a primary education has a larger impact on mortality than a 1 standard deviation increase in gross domestic product per capita or public health provision.

Suggested Citation

  • Sonia Bhalotra & Damian Clarke, 2025. "Education Expansion as a Policy Tool for Reductions in Infant and Maternal Mortality," Asian Development Review (ADR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 42(03), pages 253-277, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:adrxxx:v:42:y:2025:i:03:n:s0116110525400104
    DOI: 10.1142/S0116110525400104
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • H52 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Education
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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