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Son Preference and Gender-Biased Breastfeeding in Pakistan

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  • Naima Hafeez
  • Climent Quintana-Domeque

Abstract

We investigate gender-biased breastfeeding in Pakistan using data from the 2006–07 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey. We replicate the analysis of Jayachandran and Kuziemko (2011) in India, where a model of breastfeeding was developed that incorporates its contraceptive properties and yields several predictions regarding when mothers wean their children. We test the validity of their theory in Pakistan, where parents’ stated preference for sons is twice as large as in India. Our replication exercise strongly supports their theory: mothers breastfeed daughters significantly less (especially if there are no elder sons) to increase the chances of becoming pregnant again with the hope to conceive a son. In Pakistan, the male advantage in breastfeeding is more than twice as large as in India (0.9 vs. 0.4 months). In addition, we find similar birth-order patterns for the mother’s subjective assessment of unwanted pregnancies as we do for breastfeeding duration.

Suggested Citation

  • Naima Hafeez & Climent Quintana-Domeque, 2018. "Son Preference and Gender-Biased Breastfeeding in Pakistan," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 66(2), pages 179-215.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:ecdecc:doi:10.1086/695137
    DOI: 10.1086/695137
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    Cited by:

    1. Bussolo,Maurizio & Ezebuihe,Jessy Amarachi & Munoz Boudet,Ana Maria & Poupakis,Stavros & Rahman,Tasmia & Sarma,Nayantara, 2022. "Social Norms and Gender Equality : A Descriptive Analysis for South Asia," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10142, The World Bank.
    2. Asadullah, M. Niaz & Mansoor, Nazia & Randazzo, Teresa & Wahhaj, Zaki, 2021. "Is son preference disappearing from Bangladesh?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    3. Chae, Minhee & Cai, Yong & Kim, Jun Hyung & Lavely, William, 2023. "Unintended Consequences of Family Planning Policies on the Breastfeeding Gap between Sons and Daughters," IZA Discussion Papers 16190, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Ebert, Cara & Vollmer, Sebastian, 2022. "Girls unwanted – The role of parents’ child-specific sex preference for children’s early mental development," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    5. 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.
    6. Awaworyi Churchill, Sefa & Iqbal, Nasir & Nawaz, Saima & Yew, Siew Ling, 2021. "Unconditional cash transfers, child labour and education: theory and evidence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 437-457.
    7. Kim, Jun Hyung & Wang, Shaoda, 2021. "Birth Order Effects, Parenting Style, and Son Preference," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1007, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    8. Liu, Yiwei & Guo, Qiuyue & Su, Yuting & Ren, Zhenglian, 2023. "Gender differences in happiness in Chinese society: The role of parental preference for sons over daughters," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 337(C).

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