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Womb to wisdom: Early-life exposure to midwifery laws and later-life disability

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  • Noghanibehambari, Hamid
  • Bagheri, Hesamaldin
  • Toranji, Mostafa
  • Vu, Hoa
  • Tavassoli, Nasrin

Abstract

Previous research documented that midwifery service quality improvements lead to improving maternal and infants’ health outcomes. However, little is known about its influence for later-life outcomes including disability. This paper explores the potential effects of early-life exposure to the establishment of midwifery laws across US states on later-life disability outcomes. Midwifery laws were enacted during the late 19th and early 20th century and required midwives to gain formal education and training to obtain a license in order to legally practice. We use decennial census data over the years 1970–2000 and implement a difference-in-difference method and show that being born in a reform state is associated with significant reductions in various measures of disability, including work disability, cognitive difficulty, ambulatory difficulty, self-care difficulty, and a proxy for severe mental health. We also find significant increases in education, socioeconomic scores, housing wealth, and income. We further discuss the policy implications of the results.

Suggested Citation

  • Noghanibehambari, Hamid & Bagheri, Hesamaldin & Toranji, Mostafa & Vu, Hoa & Tavassoli, Nasrin, 2025. "Womb to wisdom: Early-life exposure to midwifery laws and later-life disability," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 372(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:372:y:2025:i:c:s027795362500303x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.117973
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Disability; Midwifery; Health education; Public policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • 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
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy

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