Migration, health knowledge and teenage fertility: evidence from Mexico

Abstract

Migration may affect fertility and child health care of those remaining in the country of origin. Mexican data show that having at least one household member who migrated to the United States decreases the occurrence of pregnancy among teenagers by 0.339 probability points. This finding can be partially explained by the fact that teenagers in migrant households have a higher knowledge of contraceptive methods and likely practice active birth control. I use potential migration, measured as historic migration rates interacted with the proportion of adult males in the household, as an instrument to account for the endogeneity of migrant status.

Transnational social networks, health, and care: a systematic narrative literature review

“…Thirty-three of the papers were published in a peer-reviewed journal, two were PhD dissertations [ 5 , 30 ], and one was an international report [ 45 ]. The top three health topics that were studied were related to health-seeking strategies ( n = 9) [ 18 , 19 , 23 – 26 , 29 , 31 , 32 ], issues related to sexual and reproductive health ( n = 9) [ 36 , 41 , 42 , 44 – 46 , 48 – 50 ], and healthcare support ( n = 7) [ 18 , 22 , 27 , 28 , 34 , 35 , 38 ].…”

“…Articles researching those who remain behind were mainly based in the global South, focusing on North and Central America ( n = 6) [ 41 , 43 , 44 , 47 – 49 ], Africa ( n = 5) [ 5 , 36 , 37 , 39 , 45 ], Asia ( n = 4) [ 35 , 38 , 40 , 50 ], and the Caribbean ( n = 1) [ 8 ]. Furthermore, two of the included articles [ 42 , 46 ] analysed multiple countries when studying transnational social exchanges and their influences on those who remain behind.…”

“…Furthermore, two of the included articles [ 42 , 46 ] analysed multiple countries when studying transnational social exchanges and their influences on those who remain behind. Ten out of the eighteen articles [ 41 – 50 ] used quantitative analysis of secondary survey data. Eight of the eighteen articles [ 5 , 8 , 35 – 40 ] were qualitative.…”

“…The assessed quality of the qualitative articles was moderate ( n = 4) [ 8 , 36 , 38 , 39 ] to good ( n = 3) [ 5 , 35 , 40 ]. The quality of quantitative studies was assessed to be mainly of good quality ( n = 8) [ 41 , 43 – 45 , 47 – 50 ]. The included papers for this review focused on the influence of transnational social exchanges on the health of those who remain behind, both on the individual and collective level.…”

International Migration and Health in the Countries of Origin. The Effect on Households with Migrants and/or Recipients of Remittances, and on Returned Migrants. A Systematic Review

“…Child care practices decrease (42) and the contagion risk of HIV/ITS increases (22). On the other hand, the migration of a family member decreases the incidence of pregnancy in adolescents (52).…”