A Generation of Choice: Early-Life Exposure to Birth Control Clinics and Later-Life Male Mortality

• In Event: Contraception, Fertility, and Health in Changing Policy Landscapes

Abstract

This study investigates the long-term impact of early exposure to birth control clinics on later-life male mortality in the US. Utilizing Social Security Administration death records linked to the 1940 census, we employ event study and difference-in-differences approach to analyze the staggered introduction of birth control clinics across 22 major American cities over the years 1920-1940. Our findings reveal that children born after the establishment of these clinics experienced an increase in longevity of 1.3-4.7 months. The positive effects were particularly pronounced in cities where clinics operated for extended durations, highlighting the importance of sustained access to reproductive health services. The effects are more pronounced among children born to illiterate mothers and those whose families had no prior children. Mechanism analysis reveals significant reductions in fertility and increases in birth spacing, suggesting that improved birth timing and parental resource allocation contributed to these long-term health benefits. We discuss the policy implications of our findings in light of recent legal shifts restricting family planning services in the US. 

Author

• Hamid Noghanibehambari, Austin Peay State University
  Presenting Author