Does Family Planning Reduce Infant Mortality? Evidence From Surveillance Data in Matlab, Bangladesh

CentER Discussion Paper Series No. 2012-019

34 Pages Posted: 24 Feb 2012

See all articles by Arthur van Soest

Arthur van Soest

Tilburg University; Netspar; RAND Corporation; Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

Unnati Saha

Tilburg University - Tilburg University School of Economics and Management

Date Written: February 23, 2012

Abstract

Analyzing the effect of family planning on child survival remains an important issue but is not straightforward because of several mechanisms linking family planning, birth intervals, total fertility, and child survival. This study uses a dynamic model jointly explaining infant mortality, whether contraceptives are used after each birth, and birth intervals. Infant mortality is determined by the preceding birth interval and other covariates (such as socio-economic status).

The decisions about using contraceptives after each birth are driven by similar covariates, survival status of the previous child, and the family’s gender composition. Birth spacing is driven by contraceptive use and other factors. We find favorable effects of contraceptive use, reducing infant deaths in second and higher order births. Because the mortality risks for first-borns is higher than for later births and contraceptive use reduces the number of higher order births, the net effect on the total infant mortality rate is small.

Keywords: child mortality, family planning, contraceptive use, demography, dynamic panel data

JEL Classification: I1, J13, C33

Suggested Citation

van Soest, Arthur H. O. and van Soest, Arthur H. O. and Saha, Unnati, Does Family Planning Reduce Infant Mortality? Evidence From Surveillance Data in Matlab, Bangladesh (February 23, 2012). CentER Discussion Paper Series No. 2012-019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2009853 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2009853

Arthur H. O. van Soest

Tilburg University ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, DC Noord-Brabant 5000 LE
Netherlands

Netspar

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

RAND Corporation ( email )

P.O. Box 2138
1776 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138
United States

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Unnati Saha (Contact Author)

Tilburg University - Tilburg University School of Economics and Management ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

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