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The Long-Run Effects of Cesarean Sections

Costa-Ramón, Ana María ; Kortelainen, Mika ; Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Ana LU and Sääksvuori, Lauri (2022) In Journal of Human Resources 57(6). p.2048-2085
Abstract
This paper analyzes the long-term effects of potentially avoidable cesarean sections on children’s health. Using Finnish administrative data, we document that physicians perform more unplanned C-sections during their regular working hours on days that precede a weekend or public holiday and use this exogenous variation as an instrument for C-sections. We supplement our instrumental variables results with a differences-in-differences estimation strategy that exploits variation in birth mode within sibling pairs and across families. Our results suggest that avoidable unplanned C-sections increase the risk of asthma, but do not affect other immune-mediated disorders previously associated with C-sections.
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Health Economics, Cesarean Section, Child Health, J10, I12, J13
in
Journal of Human Resources
volume
57
issue
6
pages
2048 - 2085
publisher
University of Wisconsin Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85142277693
ISSN
0022-166X
DOI
10.3368/jhr.58.2.0719-10334R1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9cdd77c7-5d0b-4432-921d-c5e73f2a24ee
date added to LUP
2020-10-13 11:53:31
date last changed
2025-10-14 11:18:06
@article{9cdd77c7-5d0b-4432-921d-c5e73f2a24ee,
  abstract     = {{This paper analyzes the long-term effects of potentially avoidable cesarean sections on children’s health. Using Finnish administrative data, we document that physicians perform more unplanned C-sections during their regular working hours on days that precede a weekend or public holiday and use this exogenous variation as an instrument for C-sections. We supplement our instrumental variables results with a differences-in-differences estimation strategy that exploits variation in birth mode within sibling pairs and across families. Our results suggest that avoidable unplanned C-sections increase the risk of asthma, but do not affect other immune-mediated disorders previously associated with C-sections.}},
  author       = {{Costa-Ramón, Ana María and Kortelainen, Mika and Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Ana and Sääksvuori, Lauri}},
  issn         = {{0022-166X}},
  keywords     = {{Health Economics; Cesarean Section; Child Health; J10; I12; J13}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{2048--2085}},
  publisher    = {{University of Wisconsin Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Human Resources}},
  title        = {{The Long-Run Effects of Cesarean Sections}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3368/jhr.58.2.0719-10334R1}},
  doi          = {{10.3368/jhr.58.2.0719-10334R1}},
  volume       = {{57}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}