Muslim-Hindu Fertility Differences: Evidence from National Family Health Survey-II

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Citation

Dharmalingam, Arunachalam; Navaneetham, Kannan; & Morgan, S. Philip (2005). Muslim-Hindu Fertility Differences: Evidence from National Family Health Survey-II. Economic and Political Weekly, 40(5), 429-436.

Abstract

This paper examines Muslim-Hindu differences in the desire for an additional child and the use of contraceptives. It uses data from the National Family Health Survey carried out in 1998-99 and employs multivariate and multilevel regression models in data analysis. Results show that Muslim-Hindu differences in the desire for additional children and use of contraceptives are pervasive across India and almost invariant across states and districts. This is consistent with the findings from our analysis of data from the first NFHS in 1992-93. However, Muslim-Hindu differences have narrowed between 1992-93 and 1998-99. It is thus argued that Muslim-Hindu fertility behaviour seems to be moving towards convergence. The pervasiveness of Muslim-Hindu differences in reproductive behaviour calls for complementary 'global explanations'.

URL

http://www.jstor.org/stable/4416134

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2005

Journal Title

Economic and Political Weekly

Author(s)

Dharmalingam, Arunachalam
Navaneetham, Kannan
Morgan, S. Philip