The Role of Child’s Gender in Fertility and Family Structure: Evidence across Countries and Centuries

Previous studies have documented that a child’s gender affects future fertility and family structure across several parts of the world. This paper use a comprehensive sets of data sources to examine its heterogeneity across countries and cohorts. Using individual-level data of 516 sample-years from 98 countries that span more than 300 years, I find that, on average, families increase their number of children if their first-born child is a girl. However, this average effect contains substantial heterogeneity. A cohort analysis using data of more developed countries suggests that these effects are concentrated in periods of fertility declines, specifically late 19th century. The effects are also primarily confined to Asia, specifically southeast Asia and Middle-East. Moreover, the fertility effects are significantly stronger among low educated mothers and those residing in countries with lower gender equal norms. Some policy implications are discussed.

Population Review

Volume 62, Number 1, 2023

Type: Article, pp. 20-71

The Role of Child’s Gender in Fertility and Family Structure: Evidence across Countries and Centuries

Authors: Hamid Noghanibehambari

Authors affiliations: Center for Demography of Health and Aging (CDHA) University of Wisconsin-Madison

Corresponding author/address: Center for Demography of Health and Aging (CDHA) University of Wisconsin-Madison,1180 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA

Abstract

Previous studies have documented that a child’s gender affects future fertility and family structure across several parts of the world. This paper use a comprehensive sets of data sources to examine its heterogeneity across countries and cohorts. Using individual-level data of 516 sample-years from 98 countries that span more than 300 years, I find that, on average, families increase their number of children if their first-born child is a girl. However, this average effect contains substantial heterogeneity. A cohort analysis using data of more developed countries suggests that these effects are concentrated in periods of fertility declines, specifically late 19th century. The effects are also primarily confined to Asia, specifically southeast Asia and Middle-East. Moreover, the fertility effects are significantly stronger among low educated mothers and those residing in countries with lower gender equal norms. Some policy implications are discussed.

Keywords

Son Preference, Gender Bias, Gender Discrimination, Fertility, Family Planning, Family Economics, Family Structure, Sex Selection, History, Culture

 © 2023 Sociological Demography Press