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

Author

Listed:
  • Pascaline Dupas

    (Princeton University)

  • Seema Jayachandran

    (Princeton University)

  • Adriana Lleras-Muney

    (UCLA - University of California [Los Angeles] - UC - University of California)

  • Pauline Rossi

    (CREST - Centre de Recherche en Économie et Statistique - ENSAI - Ecole Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Analyse de l'Information [Bruz] - GENES - Groupe des Écoles Nationales d'Économie et Statistique - X - École polytechnique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - ENSAE Paris - École Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Administration Économique - GENES - Groupe des Écoles Nationales d'Économie et Statistique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, GENES - Groupe des Écoles Nationales d'Économie et Statistique, ENSAE Paris - École Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Administration Économique - GENES - Groupe des Écoles Nationales d'Économie et Statistique - IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Pascaline Dupas & Seema Jayachandran & Adriana Lleras-Muney & Pauline Rossi, 2025. "The Negligible Effect of Free Contraception on Fertility: Experimental Evidence from Burkina Faso ," Post-Print hal-05272203, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05272203
    DOI: 10.1257/aer.20241305
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05272203v1
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