Son Preference and Contraceptive Prevalence in West Bengal: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

This article investigates the relationship between contraceptive prevalence and son preference in West Bengal, one of the India's Eastern states with huge population. Son preference refers to the prevalent cultural inclination towards granting priority to sons over daughters. Using data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-IV), the study employs Arnold's index to gauge the impact of son preference on contraceptive adoption among women in West Bengal. The analysis focuses on women of different parities, namely 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and above, to comprehend the extent of son preference's influence on contraceptive practices. The findings reveal a notable trend: women with one or more living sons are more inclined towards adopting contraception, whereas couples without sons or with a majority of daughters display lower contraceptive usage. Moreover, the study identifies a monotonic increase in contraceptive acceptance with an escalating number of living sons in a family. Importantly, the desire for additional children among women is significantly influenced by their current count of living sons; women with a higher number of sons exhibit maximum contraceptive usage. Additionally, the results highlight a strong manifestation of son preference in the West Bengal region.