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Fertility and Labor Market Responses to Reductions in Mortality

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  • Sonia R. Bhalotra
  • Atheendar Venkataramani
  • Selma Walther

Abstract

We investigate women’s fertility, labor and marriage market responses to a health innovation that led to reductions in mortality from treatable causes, and especially large declines in child mortality. We find delayed childbearing, with lower intensive and extensive margin fertility, a decline in the chances of ever having married, increased labor force participation and an improvement in occupational status. Our results provide the first evidence that improvements in child survival allow women to start fertility later and invest more in the labor market. We present a new theory of fertility that incorporates dynamic choices and reconciles our findings with existing models of behavior.

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  • Sonia R. Bhalotra & Atheendar Venkataramani & Selma Walther, 2022. "Fertility and Labor Market Responses to Reductions in Mortality," NBER Working Papers 30316, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:30316
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    6. Yew Seng Law & Chung-Khain Wye, 2023. "The effects of fertility on female labour force participation in OECD countries: the role of education and health," Studies in Economics and Econometrics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(3), pages 280-302, July.

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    JEL classification:

    • 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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