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School starting age, maternal age at birth, and child outcomes

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  • Fredriksson, Peter
  • Huttunen, Kristiina
  • Öckert, Björn

Abstract

This paper analyses the effects of maternal school starting age and maternal age-at-birth on children’s short and long-term outcomes using Finnish register data. We exploit a school-starting-age rule for identification. Mothers who are born after the school entry cut-off give birth at higher age, but total fertility and earnings are unaffected. Being born after the cut-off reduces gestation and, hence, child birth weight. The effects on birth weight and gestation are rather small, however, suggesting that the long-run impacts are limited. Accordingly, we find no impacts on longer-term child outcomes, such as educational attainment and adolescent crime rates. Overall, we interpret this evidence as saying that there are no favorable effects of maternal age at birth on child outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Fredriksson, Peter & Huttunen, Kristiina & Öckert, Björn, 2021. "School starting age, maternal age at birth, and child outcomes," Working Papers 139, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:fer:wpaper:139
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    Cited by:

    1. Cristina Borra & Libertad González Luna & David Patiño, 2021. "Maternal age and infant health," Economics Working Papers 1791, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    2. Rebecca Kamb & Marcus Tamm, 2023. "The fertility effects of school entry decisions," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(8), pages 1145-1149, May.
    3. Eva Rye Johansen & Helena Skyt Nielsen & Mette Verner, 2024. "Teenage mothers and the next generation: benefits of delay?," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 451-476, June.
    4. Cristina Borra & Libertad González & David Patiño, 2024. "Mothers' school starting age and infant health," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(6), pages 1153-1191, June.
    5. Mathias Jensen & Abigail Adams & Barbara Petrongolo, 2024. "Birth Timing and Spacing: Implications for Parental Leave Dynamics and Child Penalties," Economics Series Working Papers 1048, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    school starting age; fertility; maternal age; birth outcomes; education; crime; Local public finance and provision of public services; Koulutus;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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