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Maternal Depression and the Production of Infant Health

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  • Karen Smith Conway
  • Lisa DeFelice Kennedy

Abstract

Depression is most prevalent among women of childbearing age and among low‐income women, and the medical literature shows it to have adverse effects on infant health. Yet maternal depression has been overlooked in economic studies of infant health production. This research incorporates maternal depressive symptoms into a standard infant health production model and estimates both structural and reduced‐form birth weight equations using samples of non‐Hispanic white and black women from the National Maternal and Infant Health Survey. A byproduct of this research is an empirical investigation into factors associated with maternal depressive symptoms. All results show that depressive symptoms have a negative effect on birth weight and that they may operate through several channels such as smoking and prenatal care.

Suggested Citation

  • Karen Smith Conway & Lisa DeFelice Kennedy, 2004. "Maternal Depression and the Production of Infant Health," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 71(2), pages 260-286, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:soecon:v:71:y:2004:i:2:p:260-286
    DOI: 10.1002/j.2325-8012.2004.tb00639.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Guldi, Melanie & Hamersma, Sarah, 2023. "The effects of pregnancy-related Medicaid expansions on maternal, infant, and child health," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Reader, Mary, 2023. "The infant health effects of starting universal child benefits in pregnancy: evidence from England and Wales," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118458, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Reader, Mary, 2023. "The infant health effects of starting universal child benefits in pregnancy: Evidence from England and Wales," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).

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