Economics of Reproduction

Economic factors permeate nearly every aspect of human life, even those we consider most personal. This body of work demonstrates the presence of economic influences in the realm of reproduction. Further, the work highlights the important ways that reproduction and access to reproductive health services exert significant impacts on economic outcomes. Some of this work is in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. Most of the current and upcoming work is in the context of the United States.

Related Articles Published

“Income Shocks and HIV in Africa” with Erick Gong and Marshall Burke. (2015) The Economic Journal, 125(585): 1157-89.  June. (open access)

Links to Media Coverage: Voice of America, CNBC Africa

“Contraceptive Supply and Fertility Outcomes: Evidence from Ghana”  (2015) Economic Development and Cultural Change, 64(1):31-69. October. (open access) 

Links to Media Coverage: The Atlantic, New York Times, The New Yorker, The Nation, Newsweek and several other outlets,

Link to blog post: Development Impact blog.

“Growing Up Together: Cohort composition and child investment” (2014) Demography, 51(1): 229‐255. (open access)

Other research outputs

“At a crossroads: The impact of abortion access on future economic outcomes” (2021) AU Economics Working Paper 2021-02. link 

Brief of amici curiae economists in support of plaintiff-appellant, GENBIOPRO. (2024) For U.S. Court of Appeals Fourth Circuit (lead author) (link)

"Women’s reproductive health and economic empowerment" with Anna Bernstein. Ch 34 in Handbook of Feminist Economics. (2021) Eds. Ebru Kongar and Gunseli Berik. London: Routledge. Ungated manuscript (link)

"The economic effects of abortion access: a review of the evidence" with Anna Bernstein.  (2019) Institute of Women's Policy Research & Center for Economics of Reproductive Health Report. Washington DC. (link)

Links to media coverage: NBCnews Think; Daily Kos, DAME Magazine

"The economic effects of contraceptive access: a review of the evidence" with Anna Bernstein. (2019) Institute of Women's Policy Research & Center for Economics of Reproductive Health Report. Washington DC. (link)

Links to media coverage: CNBC Make It, Devex