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The Effects of Unemployment on Prenatal Care Use and Infant Health

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  • Andrea Menclova

Abstract

Do recessions improve birth outcomes? This study investigated the relationship between unemployment fluctuations, prenatal care utilization and infant health. Analyzing the US Natality Detail Files for the period 1989–1999 aggregated by county, year, and race, I found the overall effects of unemployment to be beneficial but concluded that at least some of the apparent benefits are attributable to the Medicaid “safety net.” In supplementary analyses stratified by socioeconomic status, Medicaid played the largest role among economically disadvantaged (single and less educated) women. Thus, unemployment seems to be good for at least some pregnancies—provided Medicaid steps in. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

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  • Andrea Menclova, 2013. "The Effects of Unemployment on Prenatal Care Use and Infant Health," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 34(4), pages 400-420, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jfamec:v:34:y:2013:i:4:p:400-420
    DOI: 10.1007/s10834-012-9339-7
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    1. Orsini, Chiara & Avendano, Mauricio, 2015. "Macro-economic conditions and infanthealth: a changing relationship for blackand white infants in the United States," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 62307, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Hope Corman & Dhaval Dave & Nancy E. Reichman, 2018. "Evolution of the Infant Health Production Function," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 85(1), pages 6-47, July.
    3. Swetha Valluri & Sheila Mammen & Daniel Lass, 2015. "Health Care Use Among Rural, Low-Income Women and Children: Results from a 2-Stage Negative Binomial Model," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 36(1), pages 154-164, March.
    4. Jason Murasko, 2015. "The Age Profile of the Income–Health Gradient: An Evaluation of Two Large Cohorts of Contemporary US Children," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 289-298, June.
    5. Chiara Orsini & Mauricio Avendano, 2015. "Macro-Economic Conditions and Infant Health: A Changing Relationship for Black and White Infants in the United States," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(5), pages 1-15, May.
    6. Terri Friedline & Zibei Chen & So’Phelia Morrow, 2021. "Families’ Financial Stress & Well-Being: The Importance of the Economy and Economic Environments," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 34-51, July.
    7. Sarah Hamersma & Yilin Hou & Yusun Kim & Douglas Wolf, 2018. "Business Cycles, Medicaid Generosity, and Birth Outcomes," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 37(5), pages 729-749, October.
    8. Grant, Darren, 2022. "The “Quiet Revolution” and the cesarean section in the United States," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    9. E. Pastrapa & C. Apostolopoulos, 2015. "Estimating Determinants of Borrowing: Evidence from Greece," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 210-223, June.

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