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More than an urban legend: the short- and long-run effects of unplanned fertility shocks

Author

Listed:
  • Thiemo Fetzer

    (University of Warwick)

  • Oliver Pardo

    (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana)

  • Amar Shanghavi

    (Tamu Tamu Tanzania LTD)

Abstract

This paper examines the short- and long-run effects of a quasi-exogenous variation in fertility behavior due to a yearlong period of power rationing in Colombia in 1992. We show that power shortages caused a mini baby boom and that the increase in fertility was unplanned and persistent: the time in between births was reduced and overall lifetime fertility increased. We also present evidence suggesting that women who had a baby due to the outage found themselves in worse socioeconomic conditions 12 years later.

Suggested Citation

  • Thiemo Fetzer & Oliver Pardo & Amar Shanghavi, 2018. "More than an urban legend: the short- and long-run effects of unplanned fertility shocks," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 31(4), pages 1125-1176, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:31:y:2018:i:4:d:10.1007_s00148-017-0685-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-017-0685-5
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fertility; Infrastructure; Natural experiment; Unplanned parenthood;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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