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Son‐biased fertility stopping, birth spacing, and child nutritional status in Pakistan

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  • Theresa Thompson Chaudhry
  • Maha Khan
  • Azka Sarosh Mir

Abstract

In this article, we append information from four cross‐sectional household surveys (Multiple Indictors Cluster Survey of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) in Punjab, Pakistan, collected between 2007 and 2018 to create a data set of 140,000–150,000 child‐level observations. Using linear regression, we document a strongly negative birth‐order gradient in the nutritional status (measured as height‐for‐age z‐scores) of children below age 5, indicating a pattern of disinvestment in later‐born children that is even greater than that documented for poorer countries in sub‐Saharan Africa in an earlier study. Consistent with other empirical work in developing‐country contexts, girls have on average higher z‐scores than boys, but their advantage is lower in Pakistan than other countries outside of the South Asian region, and worryingly, the negative birth‐order gradient is steeper for girls than boys. Son‐biased fertility stopping rules and close‐birth spacing appear to play key roles in Pakistan; following the birth of daughters, parents reduce contraceptive use and breastfeeding (a natural birth control). Using an IV strategy based on the genders of the previously born children, we find that shortened intervals between births harm children's nutritional status, especially that of boys.

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  • Theresa Thompson Chaudhry & Maha Khan & Azka Sarosh Mir, 2021. "Son‐biased fertility stopping, birth spacing, and child nutritional status in Pakistan," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(2), pages 712-736, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:rdevec:v:25:y:2021:i:2:p:712-736
    DOI: 10.1111/rode.12748
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    2. Ahmed Raza Cheema & Ian Coxhead, 2022. "Does Dowry Drive Labor Export? Evidence from Pakistan," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 60(4), pages 173-205, December.
    3. Rabia Arif & Theresa Thompson Chaudhry & Azam Amjad Chaudhry, 2023. "Emigration’s Heterogeneous Impact on Children’s Wellbeing in Punjab, Pakistan," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(3), pages 1251-1295, June.
    4. Theresa Chaudhry & Rabia Arif, 2024. "The Impact of Consanguineous Marriage on Children’s Human Capital in Pakistan," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 19(1), pages 112-137, April.

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