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COVID-19 and women’s health: Examining changes in mental health and fertility

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  • Silverio-Murillo, Adan
  • Hoehn-Velasco, Lauren
  • Balmori de la Miyar, Jose Roberto
  • Rodríguez, Abel

Abstract

Researchers have speculated that the economic and social consequences of COVID19 will harm women’s health. This paper tests this claim in the immediate aftermath of Mexico City’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order using call-center data. We use an event-study design to track calls for fertility decisions and mental health. Our findings indicate that mental health worsened during the pandemic. Anxiety calls increased substantially, with the effect being most pronounced for those over 45. Calls related to abortion fell in number, while pregnancy calls remained stable. The abortion effect is most pronounced for women between 15 and 30 and those with a high school degree.

Suggested Citation

  • Silverio-Murillo, Adan & Hoehn-Velasco, Lauren & Balmori de la Miyar, Jose Roberto & Rodríguez, Abel, 2021. "COVID-19 and women’s health: Examining changes in mental health and fertility," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:199:y:2021:i:c:s0165176521000069
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2021.109729
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Armbruster, Stephanie & Klotzbücher, Valentin, 2020. "Lost in lockdown? COVID-19, social distancing, and mental health in Germany," Discussion Paper Series 2020-04, University of Freiburg, Wilfried Guth Endowed Chair for Constitutional Political Economy and Competition Policy.
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    Cited by:

    1. Silverio-Murillo, Adan & Hoehn-Velasco, Lauren & Rodriguez Tirado, Abel & Balmori de la Miyar, Jose Roberto, 2021. "COVID-19 blues: Lockdowns and mental health-related google searches in Latin America," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    2. Nadya Y. Rivera Rivera & Laura McGuinn & Erika Osorio-Valencia & Sandra Martinez-Medina & Lourdes Schnaas & Rosalind J. Wright & Martha Maria Téllez-Rojo & Robert O. Wright & Marcela Tamayo-Ortiz & Ma, 2021. "Changes in Depressive Symptoms, Stress and Social Support in Mexican Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-11, August.
    3. Karen X. Yan, 2023. "How do the stay-at-home (SAH) orders affect air quality? Evidence from the northeastern USA," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 64(5), pages 2085-2103, May.
    4. M. Amelia Gibbons & Tommy E. Murphy & Martín A. Rossi, 2021. "Confinement and intimate partner violence," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(3), pages 349-361, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Women; Fertility; Mental health; Health; COVID-19; Mexico;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy

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