TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Dimico, Arcangelo
        TI  - The Effect of Abortion Policies on Fertility and Human Capital in Sub-Saharan Africa
        PY  - 2025/May/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 17910
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/publications/dp17910
        AB  - I evaluate the impact of abortion policies in sub-Saharan Africa to understand the potential consequences of a reduced international support for women’s rights following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. I find that decriminalizing abortion reduces fertility through two complementary channels. For households at the top of the wealth distribution, the effect manifests as a reduction in excess fertility, which is more pronounced among lower-educated women due to their lower likelihood of using contraception. For households at the bottom of the wealth distribution, the impact runs through a decline in the number of children with a low survival probability. This latter effect is more pronounced among highly educated women, who are more likely to control their own health-related decisions and view abortion as a viable option. I also find that while women’s education levels rise after decriminalization, this does not lead to better labor market opportunities. Children born afterwards tend to achieve higher levels of education.
        KW  - child mortality
KW  - fertility
KW  - gender
KW  - abortion
KW  - human capital
        ER  -