Teenage pregnancy in Mexico: Evolution and consequences

Type Journal Article - Latin american journal of economics
Title Teenage pregnancy in Mexico: Evolution and consequences
Author(s)
Volume 51
Issue 1
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2014
Page numbers 109-146
URL http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S0719-04332014000100004&script=sci_arttext&tlng=pt
Abstract
We analyze the consequences of a teenage pregnancy event in the short and long run in Mexico. Using longitudinal and cross-section data, we match females who became pregnant and those who did not based on a propensity score. In the short run, we find that a teenage pregnancy causes a decrease of 0.6-0.8 years of schooling, lower school attendance, fewer hours of work and a higher marriage rate. In the long run, we find that a teenage pregnancy results in a 1-1.2-year loss in years of education, which implies a permanent effect on education, and lower household income per capita.

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