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Neonatal Death in India: Birth Order in a Context of Maternal Undernutrition

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  • Coffey, Diane

    (rice Institute)

  • Spears, Dean

    (University of Texas at Austin)

Abstract

We document a novel fact about neonatal death, or death in the first month of life. Globally, neonatal mortality is disproportionately concentrated in India. We identify a large effect of birth order on neonatal mortality that is unique to India: later-born siblings have a steep survival advantage relative to the birth order gradient in other developing countries. We show that India's high prevalence of maternal undernutrition and its correlation with age and childbearing can explain this pattern. We find that Indian mothers exit the underweight body mass range at an internationally comparatively high rate as they progress through childbearing careers.

Suggested Citation

  • Coffey, Diane & Spears, Dean, 2019. "Neonatal Death in India: Birth Order in a Context of Maternal Undernutrition," IZA Discussion Papers 12288, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12288
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    1. Spears, Dean & Coffey, Diane & Behrman, Jere R., 2019. "Birth Order, Fertility, and Child Height in India and Africa," IZA Discussion Papers 12289, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Vyas, Sangita & Gupta, Aashish & Khalid, Nazar, 2021. "Gender and LPG use after government intervention in rural north India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    3. Diane Coffey, 2019. "The association between neonatal death and facility birth in regions of India," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 40(16), pages 417-430.
    4. Vyas, Sangita & Gupta, Aashish & Khalid, Nazar, 2020. "Gender and LPG use after government intervention in rural north India," SocArXiv 3v4cj, Center for Open Science.
    5. Srivastava, Shobhit & Rashmi, & Paul, Ronak, 2021. "Urban-rural differential in neonatal and post-neonatal mortality clustering among Indian siblings: Evidence from National Family Health Survey 2015–16," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).

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    Keywords

    birth order; infant mortality; neonatal mortality; maternal nutrition; India;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development

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