Sons as widowhood insurance: Evidence from Senegal

Journal article: 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.

Author(s)

Sylvie Lambert, Pauline Rossi

Journal
  • Journal of Development Economics
Date of publication
  • 2016
Keywords
  • Senegal
  • Health
  • Intra-household insurance
  • Gender
  • Fertility
Pages
  • 113-127
Version
  • 1
Volume
  • 120