scholarly journals Child marriage and infant mortality: causal evidence from Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Garcia-Hombrados
Keyword(s):  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Child Marriage ◽  
Age At First Birth ◽  
First Birth ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Born Child ◽  
Age Of Marriage

AbstractThis study assesses the causal effect of child marriage on infant mortality. Using age discontinuities in exposure to a law that raised the legal age of marriage for women in Ethiopia, the study estimates that a 1-year delay in a woman’s age at cohabitation during her teenage years reduces the probability of her first-born child dying during infancy by 3.8 percentage points. This impact is closely linked to the effect of delaying cohabitation on women’s age at first birth.

scholarly journals Schizophrenia risk and reproductive success: a Mendelian randomization study

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 181049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca B. Lawn ◽  
Hannah M. Sallis ◽  
Amy E. Taylor ◽  
Robyn E. Wootton ◽  
George Davey Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Mendelian Randomization ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Sexual Partners ◽  
Age At First Birth ◽  
First Birth ◽  
Genetic Liability ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Fitness Advantage ◽  
Number Of Sexual Partners

Schizophrenia is a debilitating and heritable mental disorder associated with lower reproductive success. However, the prevalence of schizophrenia is stable over populations and time, resulting in an evolutionary puzzle: how is schizophrenia maintained in the population, given its apparent fitness costs? One possibility is that increased genetic liability for schizophrenia, in the absence of the disorder itself, may confer some reproductive advantage. We assessed the correlation and causal effect of genetic liability for schizophrenia with number of children, age at first birth and number of sexual partners using data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and UK Biobank. Linkage disequilibrium score regression showed little evidence of genetic correlation between genetic liability for schizophrenia and number of children ( r g = 0.002, p = 0.84), age at first birth ( r g = −0.007, p = 0.45) or number of sexual partners ( r g = 0.007, p = 0.42). Mendelian randomization indicated no robust evidence of a causal effect of genetic liability for schizophrenia on number of children (mean difference: 0.003 increase in number of children per doubling in the natural log odds ratio of schizophrenia risk, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.003 to 0.009, p = 0.39) or age at first birth (−0.004 years lower age at first birth, 95% CI: −0.043 to 0.034, p = 0.82). We find some evidence of a positive effect of genetic liability for schizophrenia on number of sexual partners (0.165 increase in the number of sexual partners, 95% CI: 0.117–0.212, p = 5.30×10 −10 ). These results suggest that increased genetic liability for schizophrenia does not confer a fitness advantage but does increase mating success.

scholarly journals Schizophrenia risk and reproductive success: A Mendelian randomization study

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca B Lawn ◽  
Hannah M Sallis ◽  
Amy E Taylor ◽  
Robyn E Wootton ◽  
George Davey Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Mendelian Randomization ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Age At First Birth ◽  
First Birth ◽  
Genetic Liability ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Log Odds ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Robust Evidence

SummarySchizophrenia is a debilitating and heritable mental disorder associated with lower reproductive success. However, the prevalence of schizophrenia is stable over populations and time, resulting in an evolutionary puzzle: how is schizophrenia maintained in the population given its apparent fitness costs? One possibility is that increased genetic liability for schizophrenia, in the absence of the disorder itself, may confer some reproductive advantage. We assessed the correlation and causal effect of genetic liability for schizophrenia with number of children and age at first birth using data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and UK Biobank. Linkage disequilibrium score regression showed little evidence of genetic correlation between genetic liability for schizophrenia and number of children (rg=0.002, p=0.84) or age at first birth (rg=-0.007, p=0.45). Mendelian randomization indicated no robust evidence of a causal effect of genetic liability for schizophrenia on number of children (mean difference: 0.003 increase in number of children per doubling in the natural log odds ratio of schizophrenia risk, 95% CI: −0.003 to 0.009, p=0.39) or age at first birth (−0.004 years lower age at first birth, 95% CI: −0.043 to 0.034, p=0.82). These results suggest that increased genetic liability for schizophrenia does not confer a reproductive advantage.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Role of Education as a Birth Control Policy in Burkina Faso: A Propensity Score Weighting Approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
David Aimé Zoundi ◽  
Jean-Louis Bago ◽  
Wamadini dite Minata Souratié ◽  
Miaba Louise Lompo
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Birth Control ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
Age At First Birth ◽  
First Birth ◽  
Propensity Score Weighting ◽  
Number Of Children

We use the 2014 round of Burkina Faso’s Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) to identify and quantify the causal effect of women’s education on their fertility outcomes focusing on two fertility indicators: the total number of children ever born and the age at first birth. However, women's educational attainments may reflect the difference in term of access to schooling or individual characteristics such the family wealth, causing a threat to the empirical identification. In order to achieve consistent estimation, our empirical strategy follows Imbens (2000) and uses the propensity score weighting (PSW) approach to generate an appropriate counterfactual group accounting for education levels. Results from the PSW estimation suggest that education reduces the number of children per woman and delays women’s first birth in Burkina Faso. Hence, promoting girls education is an efficient policy to achieve birth control in Burkina Faso.

scholarly journals Variations in reproductive events across life: a pooled analysis of data from 505 147 women across 10 countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 881-893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Age At Menarche ◽  
Age At First Birth ◽  
First Birth ◽  
Natural Menopause ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Reproductive Events ◽  
Racial Ethnic ◽  
Reproductive Indices

Abstract STUDY QUESTION How has the timing of women’s reproductive events (including ages at menarche, first birth, and natural menopause, and the number of children) changed across birth years, racial/ethnic groups and educational levels? SUMMARY ANSWER Women who were born in recent generations (1970–84 vs before 1930) or those who with higher education levels had menarche a year earlier, experienced a higher prevalence of nulliparity and had their first child at a later age. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The timing of key reproductive events, such as menarche and menopause, is not only indicative of current health status but is linked to the risk of adverse hormone-related health outcomes in later life. Variations of reproductive indices across different birth years, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic positions have not been described comprehensively. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Individual-level data from 23 observational studies that contributed to the International Collaboration for a Life Course Approach to Reproductive Health and Chronic Disease Events (InterLACE) consortium were included. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Altogether 505 147 women were included. Overall estimates for reproductive indices were obtained using a two-stage process: individual-level data from each study were analysed separately using generalised linear models. These estimates were then combined using random-effects meta-analyses. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Mean ages were 12.9 years at menarche, 25.7 years at first birth, and 50.5 years at natural menopause, with significant between-study heterogeneity (I2 > 99%). A linear trend was observed across birth year for mean age at menarche, with women born from 1970 to 1984 having menarche one year earlier (12.6 years) than women born before 1930 (13.5 years) (P for trend = 0.0014). The prevalence of nulliparity rose progressively from 14% of women born from 1940–49 to 22% of women born 1970–84 (P = 0.003); similarly, the mean age at first birth rose from 24.8 to 27.3 years (P = 0.0016). Women with higher education levels had fewer children, later first birth, and later menopause than women with lower education levels. After adjusting for birth year and education level, substantial variation was present for all reproductive events across racial/ethnic/regional groups (all P values < 0.005). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Variations of study design, data collection methods, and sample selection across studies, as well as retrospectively reported age at menarche, age at first birth may cause some bias. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This global consortium study found robust evidence on variations in reproductive indices for women born in the 20th century that appear to have both biological and social origins. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) InterLACE project is funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council project grant (APP1027196). GDM is supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Principal Research Fellowship (APP1121844).

Antebellum Southern White Fertility: A Demographic and Economic Analysis

1980 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard H. Steckel
Keyword(s):  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Total Fertility Rate ◽  
Time Trend ◽  
Age At First Birth ◽  
Demographic Analysis ◽  
First Birth ◽  
Distribution Of Wealth ◽  
Socioeconomic Analysis ◽  
Family Limitation ◽  
Child Spacing

This paper investigates the decline and regional differential in antebellum southern white fertility using published census materials and the 1860 population schedules. Demographic analysis is conducted with a synthetic total fertility rate that has four components: age at first birth, age at last surviving birth, surviving-child spacing, and the proportion of women who eventually have surviving children. The socioeconomic analysis employs regressions and focuses on causes of the underlying changes in the components. Family limitation appears to have been unimportant in this population. The distribution of wealth was.probably an important factor shaping the time trend and regional differential in fertility.

Pregnancy and the Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis in a Highly Predisposed North American Native Population

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 2253-2260 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTINE A. PESCHKEN ◽  
DAVID B. ROBINSON ◽  
CAROL A. HITCHON ◽  
IRENE SMOLIK ◽  
DONNA HART ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
North American ◽  
Shared Epitope ◽  
Reproductive History ◽  
Early Age ◽  
Age At First Birth ◽  
Native Population ◽  
First Birth ◽  
Pregnancy Smoking ◽  
First Time

Objective.To examine reproductive history and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk in a highly predisposed population of North American Natives (NAN) with unique fertility characteristics.Methods.The effect of pregnancy on the risk of RA was examined by comparing women enrolled in 2 studies: a study of RA in NAN patients and their unaffected relatives; and NAN patients with RA and unrelated healthy NAN controls enrolled in a study of autoimmunity. All participants completed questionnaires detailing their reproductive history.Results.Patients with RA (n = 168) and controls (n = 400) were similar overall in age, education, shared epitope frequency, number of pregnancies, age at first pregnancy, smoking, and breastfeeding history. In multivariate analysis, for women who had ≥ 6 births the OR for developing RA was 0.43 (95% CI 0.21–0.87) compared with women who had 1–2 births (p = 0.046); for women who gave birth for the first time after age 20 the OR for developing RA was 0.33 (95% CI 0.16–0.66) compared with women whose first birth occurred at age ≤ 17 (p = 0.001). The highest risk of developing RA was in the first postpartum year (OR 3.8; 95% CI 1.45–9.93) compared with subsequent years (p = 0.004).Conclusion.In this unique population, greater parity significantly reduced the odds of RA; an early age at first birth increased the odds, and the postpartum period was confirmed as high risk for RA onset. The protective effect of repeated exposure to the ameliorating hormonal and immunological changes of pregnancy may counterbalance the effect of early exposure to the postpartum reversal of these changes.

scholarly journals Identifying the causal effect of child marriage on unmet needs for modern contraception and unintended pregnancy in Nepal: a cross-sectional study using propensity score matching

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e043532
Author(s):  
Kazutaka Sekine ◽  
Rogie Royce Carandang ◽  
Ken Ing Cherng Ong ◽  
Anand Tamang ◽  
Masamine Jimba
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Unintended Pregnancy ◽  
Unmet Needs ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Child Marriage ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Marginal Population ◽  
Modern Contraception

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate whether child marriage had causal effects on unmet needs for modern contraception, and unintended pregnancy, by estimating the marginal (population-averaged) treatment effect of child marriage.DesignThis study used secondary data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Applying one-to-one nearest-neighbour matching with replacement within a calliper range of ±0.01, 15–49 years old women married before the age of 18 were matched with similar women who were married at 18 or above to reduce selection bias.SettingNationally representative population survey data.ParticipantsThe sample consisted of 7833 women aged 15–49 years who were married for more than 5 years.Outcome measuresUnmet needs for modern contraception and unintended pregnancy.ResultsThe matching method achieved adequate overlap in the propensity score distributions and balance in measured covariates between treatment and control groups with the same propensity score. Propensity score matching analysis showed that the risk of unmet needs for modern contraception, and unintended pregnancy among women married as children were a 14.3 percentage point (95 % CI 10.3 to 18.2) and a 10.1 percentage point (95 % CI 3.7 to 16.4) higher, respectively, than among women married as adults. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the estimated effects were robust to unmeasured covariates.ConclusionsChild marriage appears to increase the risk of unmet needs for modern contraception and unintended pregnancy. These findings call for social development and public health programmes that promote delayed entry into marriage and childbearing to improve reproductive health and rights.

scholarly journals Midwives and Maternal Mortality Evidence from a Midwifery Policy Experiment in 19th Century Sweden

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louise Lorentzon ◽  
Per Pettersson-Lidbom
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Maternal Mortality ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Effective Strategy ◽  
Policy Experiment ◽  
Exogenous Source

Abstract This paper estimates the causal effect of a historical midwifery policy experiment on maternal mortality, infant mortality, and stillbirth during the period of 1830–1894 in Sweden. Exploiting sharp changes or “discontinuities” across time and place in the availability of trained and licensed midwives as an exogenous source of variation, we find that a doubling of trained midwives led to a 20%–40% reduction in maternal mortality and a 20% increase in the uptake of midwife-assisted homebirths. The results thus suggest that a 1% increase in the share of midwife-assisted homebirths decreased maternal mortality by as much as 2%, which is a remarkable finding given that midwife training was only 6–12 months at that time. The results of this study contribute to the current debate about the most effective strategy to reduce the unacceptably high rate of maternal mortality in many developing countries, especially in low-resource settings.

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