title: The effect of maternal tetanus immunization on children's schooling attainment in Matlab, Bangladesh: follow-up of a randomized trial.
abstract: We investigate the effects of antenatal maternal vaccination against tetanus on the schooling attained by children in Bangladesh. Maternal vaccination prevents the child from acquiring tetanus at birth through blood infection and substantially reduces infant mortality and may prevent impairment in children who would otherwise acquire tetanus but survive. We follow up on a 1974 randomized trial of maternal tetanus vaccination, looking at outcomes for children born in the period 1975-1979. We find significant schooling gains from maternal tetanus vaccination for children whose parents had no schooling, showing a large impact on a small number of children. Our findings make a case for investments in maternal tetanus vaccination as a method of improving schooling and eventual economic outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. dcanning@hsph.harvard.edu
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Canning
authors.forename: Abdur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Razzaque
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Driessen
authors.forename: Damian G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Peter Kim
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Streatfield
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yunus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D011295:Prenatal Care; D013742:Tetanus / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult