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: Intra-household insurance; Gender; Fertility; Health; Senegal (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ger and nep-ias
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00948098v3
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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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 (2016)
Working Paper: Sons as Widowhood Insurance: Evidence from Senegal (2015)
Working Paper: Sons as Widowhood Insurance: Evidence from Senegal (2014)
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