Sons as widowhood insurance: Evidence from Senegal

Abstract

International audienceExploiting original data from a Senegalese household survey, we provide evidence that fertility choices are partly driven by women's needs for widowhood insurance. We use a duration model of birth intervals to show that women most at risk in case of widowhood intensify their fertility, shortening birth spacing, until they get a son. Insurance through sons might entail substantial health costs since short birth spacing raises maternal and infant mortality rates

Polygynous marriage and child health in sub-Saharan Africa: What is the evidence for harm?

“…However, evidence that polygyny is associated with lower fertility and/or lengthened birth intervals is very mixed (Omariba and Boyle 2007;Borgerhoff Mulder 1992; see also Winking et al 2013). Indeed, several studies suggest polygyny is associated with shorter birth intervals (e.g., Lambert and Rossi 2016;Lardoux and Van de Walle 2003).…”

Gender Preferences in Africa: A Comparative Analysis of Fertility Choices

“…Anthropologists working on the Gabbra, a patrilineal and patrilocal society in Kenya, find that women with no son have shorter birth intervals than women with at least one son (Mace & Sear, 1997). Last, Lambert and Rossi (2014) show that, in Senegal, women most at risk in case of widowhood substantially shorten birth spacing until they get a son. They relate son preference to women's needs for widowhood insurance.…”

Intra-household bargaining in poor countries

“…Among polygamous households, there is also some evidence of non-co-operative behaviour among co-wives when it comes to savings or fertility, even if they may co-operate in other spheres such as land cultivation or child-raising. Rossi (2016) describes how, in Senegal, co-wives compete in taking fertility decisions to attract their husband's favours (see also Lambert and Rossi 2016 for 35 As a matter of fact, the collective model naturally focuses on allocations that survive unilateral deviations. 36 The mechanism in this situation is based on the asymmetric allocation of household tasks, which involves severe exposition to indoor air pollution.…”