Dry State and Fertility: Unintended Effects of Alcohol Ban in Bihar

Abstract

We study the effects of an alcohol ban on fertility in the Indian state of Bihar, where the state government in 2016 imposed a complete prohibition on the production, sale, and consumption of alcohol. Using a micro-level women panel dataset, our difference-in-differences estimates show that the ban significantly reduced the likelihood of childbirth. The effect is particularly pronounced among women from disadvantaged socioeconomic groups. Increased modern contraceptive use, reduced marital forced sex, delayed first sexual activity, and enhanced women’s autonomy are the major potential mechanisms for reducing childbirth post-ban. Our results are robust to several sets of tests. Our findings suggest that an alcohol ban may serve as one of the potential policy tools for improving reproductive health in low- and middle-income countries.

Note:
Funding Information: No specific funding was received for this study.

Conflict of Interests: The authors have no known competing interests to declare.

Keywords: Alcohol ban, Contraceptive use, Fertility, India, Women's autonomy