The Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Fertility and Reproductive Health

Abstract The importance of human fertility spans from the most personal aspects of life to the broadest forces shaping human history. Reproductive health – a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system – is a critical element of health for all humans. For more than sixty years, researchers have used the models and methods of economics to answer questions on these topics. This Handbook brings together contributions from scholars at the frontier in these areas to synthesize the literature and offer new theoretical and empirical research on these topics. Because these topics are globally important, the Handbook includes sections and chapters that focus specifically on high-income or low/middle-income countries, as relevant to the considerations and pressing issues in each setting. The book is divided into five parts, with Part One providing an overview of fertility in economics, including trends, theories, and debates, and Part Two surveying special topics in fertility in economics, including teens, childlessness, and parental labour supply. Parts Three and Four focus on the drivers of and impacts of family planning in low/middle-income and high-income countries, respectively. Finally, Part Five focuses on other aspects of reproductive health, including coming of age, maternal health, breastfeeding, and risky sexual behaviours. We conclude with a discussion of areas where gaps in the literature indicate opportunities for future research. This resource will be valuable for researchers, instructors, and students, as well as scholars in other disciplines seeking an overview of the research approaches and findings in fertility and reproductive health economics.