Do women with higher autonomy have lower fertility? Evidence from Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand
Tfaily, R.
Genus 60(2): 7-32, 1
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0016-6987 DOI: 10.2307/29788811Document Number: 355817
This paper examines the micro level relationship between women's status and fertility, a step that differs from previous research which regards individual-level variations in women's status of limited importance. This study is based on a subset of survey data that collected women's status indicators in addition to measures of fertility, education, and employment. The analyses show that women's economic autonomy is the single-most important indicator of women's status that negatively influences reproductive behaviour. However, its impact seems to be dependent on socio-economic conditions at the community level. Beyond postponing age at marriage, the effect of education on fertility is largely insignificant.