Sons as widowhood insurance: Evidence from Senegal

Sylvie Lambert and Pauline Rossi

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Abstract: Exploiting original data from a Senegalese household survey, we provide evidence that fertility choices are partly driven by women's needs for widowhood insurance. We use a duration model of birth intervals to show that women most at risk in case of widowhood intensify their fertility, shortening birth spacing, until they get a son. Insurance through sons might entail substantial health costs since short birth spacing raises maternal and infant mortality rates.

Keywords: Senegal; Health; Intra-household insurance; Gender; Fertility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-05
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (43)

Published in Journal of Development Economics, 2016, 120, pp.113-127. ⟨10.1016/j.jdeveco.2016.01.004⟩

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Related works:
Journal Article: Sons as widowhood insurance: Evidence from Senegal (2016)
Working Paper: Sons as widowhood insurance: Evidence from Senegal (2016)
Working Paper: Sons as Widowhood Insurance: Evidence from Senegal (2015)
Working Paper: Sons as Widowhood Insurance: Evidence from Senegal (2015)
Working Paper: Sons as Widowhood Insurance: Evidence from Senegal (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-01379302

DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2016.01.004

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