Publication: On the Quantity and Quality of Girls: Fertility, Parental Investments, and Mortality
Date
2020-09
ISSN
Published
2020-09
Author(s)
Anukriti, S.
Bhalotra, Sonia
Tam, Eddy H.F.
Abstract
The introduction of prenatal
sex-detection technologies in India has led to a phenomenal
increase in abortion of female fetuses. This paper examines
the impacts of this on girl relative to boy mortality rates
after birth, using data from 1973-2005. The analysis finds a
narrowing of the gender gap in under-5 mortality rates, in
line with surviving girls being more wanted. The estimates
show that for every three aborted girls, one additional girl
survives to age five. Investigation of the mechanisms finds
a narrowing of gender gaps in parental investments in
children, moderation of son-biased fertility stopping, and
shrinking of the gap between actual and desired fertility.
Heterogeneity in fertility responses suggests a shift in the
distribution of girls toward lower socioeconomic status
families. The findings have implications not only for counts
of missing girls, but also for the later life outcomes of girls.
Citation
“Anukriti, S.; Bhalotra, Sonia; Tam, Eddy H.F.. 2020. On the Quantity and Quality of Girls; On the Quantity and Quality of Girls : Fertility, Parental Investments, and Mortality : Fertility, Parental Investments, and Mortality. Policy Research Working Paper;No. 9390. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/bd92f5cb-335e-58c5-b56e-55a2c6cf65db License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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