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Healthy Immigrant Effect or Over-Medicalization of Pregnancy? Evidence from Birth Certificates

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  • Bertoli, P.; Grembi, V.; Kazakis, P.;

Abstract

We investigate the consumption of health care by immigrants by using newborn- and motherlevel data from birth certificates. We use a predictive algorithm based on machine learning to identify the observables affecting birth health outcomes and the use of prenatal care. Using these observables, our empirical analysis pinpoints an advantage of immigrants over natives regarding newborns’ birth weight and a lower use of prenatal care and of c-sections by immigrant mothers. To disentangle the healthy immigrant effect explanation for our results from an over-medicalization of pregnancy explanation, we use an IV approach. Our results support the over-medicalization of pregnancy hypothesis.

Suggested Citation

  • Bertoli, P.; Grembi, V.; Kazakis, P.;, 2017. "Healthy Immigrant Effect or Over-Medicalization of Pregnancy? Evidence from Birth Certificates," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 17/26, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    • Handle: RePEc:yor:hectdg:17/26
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Healthy Immigrant Effect; Deliveries; Prenatal Care; Consumption of Health care;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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