Sons as Widowhood Insurance: Evidence from Senegal

Pré-publication, Document de travail: 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.

Auteur(s)

Sylvie Lambert, Pauline Rossi

Date de publication
  • 2015
Mots-clés JEL
D13 I15 J13 O15
Mots-clés
  • Intra-household insurance
  • Gender
  • Fertility
  • Health
  • Senegal
Référence interne
  • PSE Working Papers n°2014-05
Version
  • 3