The article explores the mechanisms of autonomy that result in fertility differentials between subgroups of women in Nepal. It examines the interrelationship between gender roles, women's autonomy, and fertility behavior in two urban settings in Nepal, one in a hill region and the other in the Terai. The study results confirm gender-specific division of work. Women's autonomy in the Terai was found to be higher than in the hill region. In spite of the lower autonomy, hill women are less likely to have an unmet need for contraception than those in the Terai. (Rajeev Ranjan Singh 2006-10-27)