The Indian Ultrasound Paradox

Mevlude Akbulut-Yuksel and Daniel Rosenblum

No 6273, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: The liberalization of the Indian economy in the 1990s made prenatal ultrasound technology affordable and available to a large fraction of the population. As a result, ultrasound use amongst pregnant women rose dramatically in many parts of India. This paper provides evidence on the consequences of the expansion of prenatal ultrasound use on sex-selection. We exploit state-by-cohort variation in ultrasound use in India as a unique quasi-experiment. We find that sex-selective abortion of female fetuses is rising in states with a slow expansion of ultrasound relative to those states with a rapid expansion of ultrasound. Thus, our findings suggest that the recent rapid spread of ultrasound is not causing higher rates of sex-selection in India.

Keywords: ultrasound; sex-selective abortion; India (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J13 J16 O1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 43 pages
Date: 2012-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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