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Teenage Motherhood and Long-run Outcomes in South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Siv Gustafsson

    (Universiteit van Amsterdam)

  • Seble Worku

    (Universiteit van Amsterdam)

Abstract

Teenage motherhood is very high in South Africa. In 2001, 55 per thousand African South African women and 82 per thousand Coloured South African women were teenage mothers as compared to 8 among Indian South Africans and 3 among White South African women. In this paper we use the South African General Household Survey data of 2002 with complete retrospective fertility history to study teenage childbearing and a number of outcomes in 2002 such as completed high school and satisfaction with life. Our main findings are that teenage childbearing is negatively correlated with completing high school, but most other outcome measures do not show the negative effects from teenage motherhood as has been found in many previous US and UK studies. We estimate a bivariate probit model on the joint determination of the probability of teenage motherhood and completing high school, identifying by abortion rates and the numbers of doctors and nurses by region.

Suggested Citation

  • Siv Gustafsson & Seble Worku, 2007. "Teenage Motherhood and Long-run Outcomes in South Africa," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 07-024/3, Tinbergen Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20070024
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jochim, Janina & Cluver, Lucie D. & Meinck, Franziska, 2021. "Learner pregnancy in South Africa’s Eastern Cape: The Factors affecting adolescent girls' school withdrawal during pregnancy," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    2. Siv Gustafsson & Adriaan Kalwij & Seble Worku, 2009. "Educational Attainment Differences Between Population Groups In South Africa And The Timing And Number Of Births," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 77(4), pages 471-487, December.
    3. Emmanuel Dorsah & Alfred Kweku Ampah-Mensah & Cynthia Ofosuhene & Isaac Atta Kwenin & Rudzani Israel Lumadi, 2024. "Educational Support Systems for Teenage Mothers in Public Basic Schools: Lived Experiences of Teenage Mothers," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(5), pages 2354-2369, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Teenage motherhood; high school completion; endogeneity; bivariate probit; South Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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