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Booms, Busts, and Babies’ Health

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Author Info
Rajeev Dehejia (Columbia University and NBER)
Adriana Lleras-Muney (Princeton University and NBER)

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Abstract

This paper documents a counter-cyclical pattern in the health of children, and examines whether this pattern is due to selection among women choosing to give birth or to behavioral changes. We study the relationship between the unemployment rate at the time of a baby’s conception and parental characteristics, parental behaviors, and babies’ health. Using national data from the Natality Files from 1975 onward, we find that babies conceived in times of high unemployment have a reduced incidence of low and very low birth weight, fewer congenital malformations, and a reduced rate of post-neonatal mortality. These health improvements are attributable both to selection (changes in the type of mothers that conceive during recessions) and to changes in behavior during recessions. Black mothers tend to be higher socio-economic status (as measured by education and marital status) in times of high unemployment, whereas white mothers are less educated. Health behaviors also appear to improve among all pregnant women, although we cannot reject the hypothesis that all health improvements among black women are due to selection.

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Paper provided by Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Health and Wellbeing. in its series Working Papers with number 250.

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Date of creation: Mar 2004
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Handle: RePEc:pri:cheawb:250

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  1. Gerard J. van den Berg & Maarten Lindeboom & France Portrait, 2006. "Economic Conditions Early in Life and Individual Mortality," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(1), pages 290-302, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Janet Currie, 2008. "Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: Socioeconomic Status, Poor Health in Childhood, and Human Capital Development," NBER Working Papers 13987, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Madeline Zavodny & David Paton, 2006. "Teenage Pregnancy Risk: the impact of parental involvement for contraception," Occasional Papers 18, Industrial Economics Division. [Downloadable!]
  4. Andrea Kutinova, 2006. "The Effects of Unemployment on Childbearing," Working Papers in Economics 06/12, University of Canterbury, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  5. van den Berg, Gerard & Lindeboom, Maarten & López, Marta, 2007. "Inequality in individual mortality and economic conditions earlier in life," Working Paper Series 2007:7, IFAU - Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation. [Downloadable!]
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  6. Christopher J. Ruhm, 2004. "Macroeconomic Conditions, Health and Mortality," NBER Working Papers 11007, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Melissa S. Kearney & Phillip B. Levine, 2007. "Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Early Childbearing," NBER Working Papers 13436, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Schmidt Lucie, 2005. "Effects of Infertility Insurance Mandates on Fertility," Labor and Demography 0511014, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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