The role of social networks on fertility: evidence from high and low fertility states of India

This paper examined the influence of social networks on fertility behaviour across high- and low-fertility states in India. Drawing on the diffusion hypothesis and using data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019–21), the study explored a range of both direct and indirect social network variables. Household structure as a direct indicator reflected the influence of kin-based networks. Indirect indicators, representing social informational exposure, comprised media exposure, exposure to family planning messages, mobility, contact with frontline health workers, and knowledge about microfinance. Generalized poisson and negative binomial regression models were estimated to test the hypotheses for low and high fertility states accordingly. Findings indicated that women from non-nuclear families tended to have lower fertility compared to women from nuclear families. Conversely, all indirect indicators related to social networks showed a strong negative influence on fertility, although the strength of this relationship varied differentially across fertility regimes.