The Health Costs of Being Born Unwanted

Abstract

This study quantifies the cost of unwanted pregnancy in relation to early childhood health in 62 developing countries. The endogeneity problem is dealt with through the household fixed-effects model that utilizes the variation in the degree of birth wantedness among children within a household. The study uncovers the serious health consequences of children born unwanted. Specifically, children from unwanted births tend to have lower height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height by 0.054, 0.065, and 0.04 standard deviations, respectively. We further present suggestive evidence that these health consequences might be ascribed to inadequate prenatal care and unfavorable postpartum behaviors among unintentionally pregnant women. Because poor health in early childhood can lead to long-term negative ramifications, it is urgent to make contraceptives accessible to reduce unwanted births as well as to implement effective measures to assist women facing unwanted pregnancies.