Empowering Women: The Effect of Schooling on Young Women's Knowledge and Use of Contraception

Mabel Andalón, Jenny Williams and Michael Grossman

No 19961, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Large differences in fertility between women with high and low levels of education suggest that schooling may have a direct impact on knowledge and use of contraception. We investigate this issue using information on women in Mexico. In order to identify the causal effect of schooling, we exploit temporal and geographic variation in the number of lower secondary schools built following the extension of compulsory education in Mexico from 6th to 9th grade in 1993. We show that raising females' schooling beyond 6th grade increases their knowledge of contraception during their reproductive years and increases their propensity to use contraception at sexual debut. This indicates that the impact of schooling on women's wellbeing extends beyond improved labor market outcomes and includes greater autonomy over their fertility.

JEL-codes: I10 I18 I25 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-dev and nep-edu
Note: EH
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Working Paper: Empowering Women: The Effect of Schooling on Young Women's Knowledge and Use of Contraception (2014)
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