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The Effect of an Increase in Lead in the Water System on Fertility and Birth Outcomes: The Case of Flint, Michigan

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel S. Grossman

    (Department of Economics, West Virginia University;)

  • David J.G. Slusky

    (Department of Economics, The University of Kansas;)

Abstract

Flint changed its public water source in April 2014, increasing lead exposure. The effects of lead in water on fertility and birth outcomes are not well established. Exploiting variation in the timing of births we find fertility rates decreased by 12%, fetal death rates increased by 58% (a selection effect from a culling of the least healthy fetuses), and overall health at birth decreased (from scarring), compared to other cities in Michigan. Given recent efforts to establish a registry of residents exposed, these results suggests women who miscarried, had a stillbirth or had a newborn with health complications should register.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel S. Grossman & David J.G. Slusky, 2017. "The Effect of an Increase in Lead in the Water System on Fertility and Birth Outcomes: The Case of Flint, Michigan," WORKING PAPERS SERIES IN THEORETICAL AND APPLIED ECONOMICS 201703, University of Kansas, Department of Economics, revised Aug 2017.
    • Handle: RePEc:kan:wpaper:201703
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    File URL: http://www2.ku.edu/~kuwpaper/2017Papers/201703.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Miscarriages in Flint: ‘I Really Believe It’s the Water’
      by ? in Rewire on 2017-11-03 18:36:00
    2. Flint water crisis led to lower fertility rates, higher fetal death rates, researchers find
      by ? in Science Blog on 2017-09-20 20:45:00
    3. Flint Water Crisis Led to Higher Fetal Death Rates
      by ? in Chromatography Techniques All on 2017-09-22 18:17:00

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Karen Clay & Margarita Portnykh & Edson Severnini, 2021. "Toxic Truth: Lead and Fertility," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 8(5), pages 975-1012.
    2. Pavithra Vasudevan & Sara Smith, 2020. "The domestic geopolitics of racial capitalism," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 38(7-8), pages 1160-1179, November.
    3. Rui Wang & Xi Chen & Xun Li, 2022. "Something in the pipe: the Flint water crisis and health at birth," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 35(4), pages 1723-1749, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Women’s Health; Birth Rate; Fertility Rate; Birth Outcomes; Lead; Environmental Regulation; Michigan;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • 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
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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