title: The impact of unemployment cycles on child and maternal health in Argentina.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of economic cycles in Argentina on infant and maternal health between 1994 and 2006, a period that spans the major economic crisis in 1999-2002.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluate the effects of province-level unemployment rates on several infant health outcomes, including birth weight, gestational age, fetal growth rate, and hospital discharge status after birth in a sample of 15,000 infants born in 13 provinces. Maternal health and healthcare outcomes include acute and chronic illnesses, infectious diseases, and use of prenatal visits and technology. Regression models control for hospital and year fixed effects and province-specific time trends.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unemployment rise reduces fetal growth rate particularly among high educated parents. Also, maternal poverty-related infectious diseases increase, although reporting of acute illnesses declines (an effect more pronounced among low educated parents). There is also some evidence for reduced access to prenatal care and technology among less educated parents with higher unemployment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unemployment rise in Argentina has adversely affected certain infant and maternal health outcomes, but several measures show no evidence of significant change.
authors: Departments of Health Management and Policy, Economics, and Preventive and Community Dentistry, and Public Policy Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA. george-wehby@uiowa.edu.|National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA, USA. george-wehby@uiowa.edu.|University of Iowa, Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, 145 N. Riverside Dr., 100 College of Public Health Bldg., Room N250, Iowa City, IA, 52242-2007, USA. george-wehby@uiowa.edu.
authors: George L
authors: GL
authors: Wehby
authors: Centro de Educación Médica e Investigación Clínica (CEMIC), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Lucas G
authors: LG
authors: Gimenez
authors: Centro de Educación Médica e Investigación Clínica (CEMIC), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors: Jorge S
authors: JS
authors: López-Camelo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001118:Argentina; D057172:Economic Recession; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000068104:Infant Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D000068097:Maternal Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Birth weight; Business cycles; Economic depression; Fetal growth; Gestational age; Infant health; Maternal health; Prenatal care; Recession; Unemployment