Disease Eradication, Infant Mortality, and Fertility Response: Evidence from Malaria Eradication in India

Shampa Bhattacharjee and Aparajita Dasgupta

Journal of Development Studies, 2022, vol. 58, issue 12, 2444-2459

Abstract: Using a massive malaria eradication program in India during the 1950s as a natural experiment, we examine the effects of disease environment on child health outcomes and fertility. We harmonise a rich dataset on malaria endemicity with fertility histories of women to exploit the cohort level variation in exposure to the program. We find that the program leads to a significant decline in infant and neonatal mortality and leads to a significant increase in the probability of birth during adolescent years in high malaria endemic regions. We confirm that a fall in the mother’s age at first birth in the post-eradication period drives the fertility response.

Date: 2022
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Working Paper: Disease eradication, infant mortality and fertility response:Evidence from malaria eradication in India (2019)
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DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2022.2130053

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