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C-Sections, Obesity, and Healthcare Specialization: Evidence from Mexico

Author

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  • Catalina Herrera-Almanza
  • Fernanda Marquez-Padilla
  • Silvia Prina

Abstract

This study explores whether hospitals with higher increases in obesity levels have higher cesarean section (CS) rates and the consequential effects on maternal and newborn health in Mexico for 2008–2015. It models how changes in the obesity level of hospitals’ patient pools may affect the quantity and quality of care by focusing on the use of CS and the potential returns to specialization. And it creates a measure of hospital-level obesity, based on the fraction of obesity-related discharges for women of childbearing age. Exploiting temporal and hospital variation of this measure, results show that higher hospital-level obesity increases a woman’s probability of having a CS. Also, delivery-related birth outcomes improve: maternal mortality, birth injuries, and birth trauma decrease. The evidence is consistent with hospital-level specialization in CS leading to better birth outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Catalina Herrera-Almanza & Fernanda Marquez-Padilla & Silvia Prina, 2024. "C-Sections, Obesity, and Healthcare Specialization: Evidence from Mexico," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 38(1), pages 139-160.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:wbecrv:v:38:y:2024:i:1:p:139-160.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/wber/lhad022
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    healthcare specialization; C-sections; obesity; maternal mortality; newborn health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis

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