Empowering Women: The Effect of Schooling on Young Women's Knowledge and Use of Contraception / Mabel Andalón, Jenny Williams, Michael Grossman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Andalón, Mabel.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Williams, Jenny.

Grossman, Michael.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w19961.

NBER working paper series no. w19961

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Other Title:

Empowering Women

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2014.

Summary:

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.

Notes:

Print version record

March 2014.