The Effect of Anti-Abortion Legislation on Nineteenth Century Fertility

Joanna Lahey

Demography, 2014, vol. 51, issue 3, 939-948

Abstract: Using nineteenth century legal information combined with census information, I examine the effect of state laws that restricted American women’s access to abortion on the ratio of children to women. I estimate an increase in the birthrate of 4 % to 12 % when abortion is restricted. In the absence of anti-abortion laws, fertility would have been 5 % to 12 % lower in the early twentieth century. Copyright Population Association of America 2014

Keywords: Nineteenth century; Abortion; Fertility; Demographic transition; Fertility control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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DOI: 10.1007/s13524-014-0293-x

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