Citation

Persson P, Rossin-Slater M. Am. Econ. Rev. 2018; 108(4-5): 1214-1252.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Economic Association)

DOI

10.1257/aer.20141406

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper studies how in utero exposure to maternal stress from family ruptures affects later mental health. We find that prenatal exposure to the death of a maternal relative increases take-up of ADHD medications during childhood and anti-anxiety and depression medications in adulthood. Further, family ruptures during pregnancy depress birth outcomes and raise the risk of perinatal complications necessitating hospitalization. Our results suggest large welfare gains from preventing fetal stress from family ruptures and possibly from economically induced stressors such as unemployment. They further suggest that greater stress exposure among the poor may partially explain the intergenerational persistence of poverty.

Language: en

Keywords

Child Care; Children; Domestic Abuse, Fertility; Family Planning; Family Structure; Health Behavior, Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Youth