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Early Childbearing, Human Capital Attainment, and Mortality Risk: Evidence from a Longitudinal Demographic Surveillance Area in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

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  • Cally Ardington
  • Alicia Menendez
  • Tinofa Mutevedzi

Abstract

Using a rich longitudinal data set, we examine the relationship between teen fertility and both subsequent educational outcomes and HIV-related mortality risk in rural South Africa. Human capital deficits among teen mothers are large and significant, with earlier births associated with greater deficits. In contrast to many other studies from developed countries, we find no clear evidence of selectivity into teen childbearing in either schooling trajectories or prefertility household characteristics. Enrollment rates among teen mothers only begin to drop in the period immediately preceding the birth, and future teen mothers are not behind in their schooling relative to other girls. Older teen mothers and those further ahead in school for their age prebirth are more likely to continue schooling after the birth. In addition to adolescents' higher biological vulnerability to HIV infection, pregnancy also appears to increase the risk of contracting HIV. Following women over an extended period, we document a higher HIV-related mortality risk for teen mothers that cannot be explained by household characteristics in early adulthood. Controlling for age at sexual debut, we find that teen mothers report lower condom use and older partners than other sexually active adolescents.

Suggested Citation

  • Cally Ardington & Alicia Menendez & Tinofa Mutevedzi, 2015. "Early Childbearing, Human Capital Attainment, and Mortality Risk: Evidence from a Longitudinal Demographic Surveillance Area in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 63(2), pages 281-317.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:ecdecc:doi:10.1086/678983
    DOI: 10.1086/678983
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    Cited by:

    1. Jochim, Janina & Cluver, Lucie D. & Meinck, Franziska, 2021. "Learner pregnancy in South Africa’s Eastern Cape: The Factors affecting adolescent girls' school withdrawal during pregnancy," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Jane Mariara & Andy McKay & Andy Newell & Cinzia Rienzo, 2018. "Gender gaps in the path to adulthood for young females and males in six African countries from the 1990s to the 2010s," IZA Journal of Migration and Development, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 8(1), pages 1-19, December.
    3. Zhuang Hong & Wang Miao & Daniels Joseph, 2020. "Foreign Aid and Adolescent Fertility Rate: Cross-Country Evidence," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 11(1), pages 1-35, June.
    4. Herrera Catalina & E. Sahn David, 2017. "Working Paper 281 - Early Childbearing, School Attainment and Cognitive Skills," Working Paper Series 2398, African Development Bank.
    5. Branson, Nicola & Byker, Tanya, 2018. "Causes and consequences of teen childbearing: Evidence from a reproductive health intervention in South Africa," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 221-235.
    6. Pinar Mine GUNES & Magda TSANEVA, 2020. "The Effects of Teenage Childbearing on Education, Physical Health, and Mental Distress: Evidence from Mexico," JODE - Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 86(2), pages 183-206, June.
    7. Finlay, Jocelyn E., 2021. "Women’s reproductive health and economic activity: A narrative review," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    8. Magda Tsaneva & Pinar Mine Gunes, 2020. "The effect of violent crime on teenage pregnancy in Mexico," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 141-164, March.
    9. Nokuthula Ngubane & Pranitha Maharaj, 2018. "Childbearing in the Context of the Child Support Grant in a Rural Area in South Africa," SAGE Open, , vol. 8(4), pages 21582440188, December.
    10. Luisa K Werner & Jan Jabbarian & Moubassira Kagoné & Shannon McMahon & Julia Lemp & Aurélia Souares & Günther Fink & Jan-Walter De Neve, 2019. "“Because at school, you can become somebody” – The perceived health and economic returns on secondary schooling in rural Burkina Faso," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(12), pages 1-15, December.
    11. Stephanie R. Psaki & Erica Soler-Hampejsek & Jyotirmoy Saha & Barbara S. Mensch & Sajeda Amin, 2019. "The Effects of Adolescent Childbearing on Literacy and Numeracy in Bangladesh, Malawi, and Zambia," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(5), pages 1899-1929, October.
    12. Gunes, Pinar & Tsaneva, Magda, 2016. "The Effects of Early Pregnancy on Education, Physical Health and Mental Distress: Evidence from Mexico," Working Papers 2016-14, University of Alberta, Department of Economics.
    13. Catalina Herrera Almanza & David E. Sahn, 2018. "Early Childbearing, School Attainment, and Cognitive Skills: Evidence From Madagascar," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(2), pages 643-668, April.

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