Fertility‐Mortality Variations Across LDCs: Women's Education, Labor Force Participation, and Contraceptive‐Use

Using crosscountry data, this study estimates fertility and mortality relationships with the help of regression models that basically follow the Schultz-Becker framework. Regression results reveal that the variables, women's education, labor-force participation, contraceptive-use, and the supply of health services to pregnant mothers, have significantly deterrent impacts on fertility and mortality rates. The results of the sensitivity tests show that the coefficients on the main variables are robust. Inferences drawn from the study emphasize the role of public policy directed toward women that helps in reducing fertility and infant mortality rates.