How Effective Is Female Literacy in Reducing Fertility?

Surveys since the late 1970s have sought to explore female literacy and its role in the reduction of fertility. The data available, however, have not been used for a multiple regression analysis of the relationship. This paper based on a study in two states used a regression exercise done for four different models, to explore the relation controlling for a number of confounding factors. Without overall development, literacy, although a critical preconditioner, affected fertility reduction in small percentage terms.