Birthing a Nation: The Effect of Fertility Control Access on the Nineteenth-Century Demographic Transition

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Texas A&M University System; Texas A&M University College Station; National Bureau of Economic Research; Texas A&M University System; Texas A&M University College Station; Bush School of Government & Public Service
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC HISTORY
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0022-0507
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022050714000333
• 发表日期: 2014
• 页码: 482-508
• 关键词: farm family fertility; UNITED-STATES; Abortion; IMPACT; pill; child; POWER; american; marriage; WAR

摘要

During the nineteenth century, the U.S. birthrate fell by half. While previous economic literature has emphasized demand-side explanations for this decline, many of these arguments are confounded by changes in the supply of technologies to control fertility. I exploit the introduction of state laws governing American women's access to abortion to measure the effect of changes in the supply of fertility technologies on the number of children born. I estimate an increase in the birthrate of 4 to 15 percent when abortion is restricted. I also explore the legal characteristics and political economy of these laws.