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

Author

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

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 medical contraception for three years did not have lower birth rates; we can reject even modest effects. We cross-randomized additional interventions to address possible inefficiencies leading to low demand for free contraception, specifically misperceptions about the child mortality rate, limited exposure to opposing views about family size and contraception, and social pressure. Free contraception did not influence fertility even in combination with these other interventions.

Suggested Citation

  • Dupas, Pascaline & Jayachandran, Seema & Lleras-Muney, Adriana & Rossi, Pauline, 2024. "The Negligible Effect of Free Contraception on Fertility: Experimental Evidence from Burkina Faso," CEPR Discussion Papers 19144, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:19144
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Pablo Alvarez-Aragon, 2026. "Paths to the Rainforests: Ancestral Beliefs and Fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers wp1226, Dipartimento Scienze Economiche, Universita' di Bologna.
    3. Paula E. Gobbi & Anne Hannusch & Pauline Rossi, 2026. "Family Institutions and the Global Fertility Transition," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 40(1), pages 47-70, Winter.
    4. Andreottola, Michele & Basenya, Olivier & Orozco Olvera, Victor Hugo & Reichert,Arndt & Spinola,Paula, 2025. "Community Health Workers as Key Providers of Easy-to-Use Contraceptive Injectables : Experimental Evidence from Rural Burundi," Policy Research Working Paper Series 11074, The World Bank.
    5. Sevin Kaytan & Stwarth Piedra-Bonilla & Tom Zohar, 2025. "The Complementary Role of Information and Contraceptive Access in Teen Pregnancy," Working Papers wp2025_2507, CEMFI.
    6. Martha J. Bailey & Emilia Brito Rebolledo & Deniz Gorgulu & Kelsey Figone & Vanessa W. Lang & Alexa Prettyman & Vanessa Dalton, 2025. "Does Increasing Financial Access to Contraception in the U.S. Reduce Unintended Pregnancies? Evidence from the M-CARES Randomized Controlled Trial at Two Years," NBER Working Papers 34400, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Finlay, Jocelyn E. & Gulaid, Mariam & Mibenge, Chiseche & Madise, Nyovani & Dodoo, Naa Dodua & Stover, John & Weinberger, Michelle & O’Brien, Michelle & Zimmermann, Marita, 2025. "Contraception to women’s economic empowerment: A narrative review," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    8. Moscona, Jacob & Nunn, Nathan & Robinson, James A., 2026. "Searching for Fish in Trees (緣木求魚)? Economic Development when Context Matters," CEPR Discussion Papers 21124, Centre for Economic Policy Research.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • 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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