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Early Childbirth, Health Inputs and Child Mortality: Recent Evidence from Bangladesh

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  • Maitra, Pushkar

    (Monash University)

  • Pal, Sarmistha

    (University of Surrey)

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between early childbearing and child mortality in Bangladesh, a country where adolescent childbearing is of particular concern. We argue that effective use of specific health inputs could however significantly lower child mortality rates even among adolescent women. This offers an attractive policy option particularly when compared to the costly alternative of delaying age at marriage. In particular, we find that women having early childbirth tend to use health inputs differently from all other women. After correcting for this possible selectivity bias, the adverse effects of early childbirth on child mortality are reversed. The favourable effects of use of health inputs however continue remain statistically significant.

Suggested Citation

  • Maitra, Pushkar & Pal, Sarmistha, 2007. "Early Childbirth, Health Inputs and Child Mortality: Recent Evidence from Bangladesh," IZA Discussion Papers 2841, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2841
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    1. Pushkar Maitra & Sarmistha Pal, 2004. "Birth Spacing and Child Survival: Comparative Evidence from India and Pakistan," Labor and Demography 0403023, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Pushkar Maitra & Xiujian Peng & Yaer Zhuang, 2006. "Parental Education and Child Health: Evidence from China," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 20(1), pages 47-74, March.
    3. Sadique, M. Z. & Asadullah, M. N., 2006. "Identifying the effect of public health program on child immunisation in rural Bangladesh," Working Papers 06/06, Department of Economics, City University London.
    4. Biswajit Mandal, 2015. "Demand for maternal health inputs in West Bengal-Inference from NFHS 3 in India," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 35(4), pages 2685-2700.
    5. Mandal, Biswajit, 2015. "Demand for Maternal health inputs in West Bengal-Inference from NFHS 3," MPRA Paper 68224, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Roy, Ramananda & Bhattacharyya, Bhaskar & Mandal, Biswajit, 2022. "Demand for Maternal Health Care in The Eastern States of India: Evidence From A National Health Survey," MPRA Paper 116649, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    family formation; adolescent childbearing; hospital delivery; child vaccination; child mortality; selectivity bias; unobserved heterogeneity; correlated estimates;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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