How Does Female Education Affect Fertlity? A Structural Model for the Côte D'ivoire†

A structural model relating fertility to its proximate is estimated for the Côte d'Ivoire. The assumption of exogeneity of the proximate determinants is rejected and shown to understate their influence. The model allows identification of the means through which female education affects fertility. Secondary schooling is found to have particularly strong effects, raising the age of cohabitation and reducing the duration of breastfeeding. The two transmission mechanisms are offsetting since delayed cohabitation limits fertility whilst shortened breast‐feeding increases it for older women. However, the impact via age at cohabitation dominates, except amongst the older cohorts.