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Race and Pregnancy Outcomes in the Twentieth Century: A Long-Term Comparison

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  • COSTA, DORA L.

Abstract

Untreated syphilis explained one-third of the higher prematurity rates of black relative to white babies born at Johns Hopkins in the early twentieth century. Differences in prematurity rates explained 41 percent of the black-white stillbirth gap and one-quarter of the black-white birth weight gap. Black babies had lower mortality and higher weight gain than white babies during the first ten days of life spent in the hospital because of higher black breast-feeding rates. Historically low birth weights may have a long reach: in 1988 maternal birth weight accounted for 5–8 percent of the gap in black-white birth weights.

Suggested Citation

  • Costa, Dora L., 2004. "Race and Pregnancy Outcomes in the Twentieth Century: A Long-Term Comparison," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 64(4), pages 1056-1086, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:64:y:2004:i:04:p:1056-1086_04
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    Cited by:

    1. Charles Baum, 2012. "The effects of food stamp receipt on weight gained by expectant mothers," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 25(4), pages 1307-1340, October.
    2. Elder Todd E & Goddeeris John H & Haider Steven J, 2011. "A Deadly Disparity: A Unified Assessment of the Black-White Infant Mortality Gap," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-44, June.
    3. Dora L. Costa, 2015. "Health and the Economy in the United States from 1750 to the Present," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 53(3), pages 503-570, September.
    4. Aparna Lhila & Sharon Long, 2012. "What is driving the black–white difference in low birthweight in the US?," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(3), pages 301-315, March.
    5. Dora L. Costa & Joanna Lahey, 2003. "Becoming Oldest-Old: Evidence from Historical U.S. Data," NBER Working Papers 9933, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Eric B. Schneider, 2017. "Children's growth in an adaptive framework: explaining the growth patterns of American slaves and other historical populations," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 70(1), pages 3-29, February.
    7. Cook, Lisa D. & Logan, Trevon D. & Parman, John M., 2016. "The mortality consequences of distinctively black names," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 114-125.
    8. Galofré-Vilà, Gregori, 2018. "Growth and maturity: A quantitative systematic review and network analysis in anthropometric history," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 107-118.
    9. Voigt, Manfred & Heineck, Guido & Hesse, Volker, 2004. "The relationship between maternal characteristics, birth weight and pre-term delivery: evidence from Germany at the end of the 20th century," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 2(2), pages 265-280, June.
    10. Charles L. Baum II, 2010. "The Effects of Food Stamps on Weight Gained by Expectant Mothers," Working Papers 201002, Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Economics and Finance.
    11. Cheryl Elman & Angela M O’Rand & Andrew S London, 2024. "Parity and post-reproductive mortality among U.S. Black and White women: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(9), pages 1-25, September.
    12. Gregori Galofré‐Vilà & Bernard Harris, 2021. "Growth before birth: the relationship between placental weights and infant and maternal health in early twentieth‐century Barcelona," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 74(2), pages 400-423, May.
    13. Eric B. Schneider, 2017. "Children's growth in an adaptive framework: explaining the growth patterns of American slaves and other historical populations," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 70(1), pages 3-29, February.
    14. Leah Boustan & Robert A. Margo, 2014. "Racial Differences in Health in Long-Run Perspective," Working Papers 2014-1, Princeton University. Economics Department..
    15. Tamás Hajdu & Gábor Kertesi & Bence Szabó, 2023. "Poor housing quality and the health of newborns and young children," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 2328, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    16. Andrew S. London & Cheryl Elman, 2017. "Race, Remarital Status, and Infertility in 1910: More Evidence of Multiple Causes," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 54(5), pages 1949-1972, October.
    17. Roth, Cassia, 2025. "Infant birth weight in Brazil: A cross-sectional historical approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 366(C).
    18. Logan, Trevon D., 2009. "Health, human capital, and African-American migration before 1910," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 169-185, April.
    19. Leah Boustan & Robert A. Margo, 2014. "Racial Differences in Health in Long-Run Perspective: A Brief Introduction," NBER Working Papers 20765, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Atheendar S. Venkataramani, 2011. "The intergenerational transmission of height: evidence from rural Vietnam," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(12), pages 1448-1467, December.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy

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