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. 2018 Feb;55(1):319-340.
doi: 10.1007/s13524-017-0639-2.

The Mexican Drug War and Early-Life Health: The Impact of Violent Crime on Birth Outcomes

Ryan Brown  1
Affiliations

The Mexican Drug War and Early-Life Health: The Impact of Violent Crime on Birth Outcomes

Ryan Brown. Demography. 2018 Feb.

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between exposure to violent crime in utero and birth weight using longitudinal data from a household survey conducted in Mexico. Controlling for selective migration and fertility, the results suggest that early gestational exposure to the recent escalation of the Mexican Drug War is associated with a substantial decrease in birth weight. This association is especially pronounced among children born to mothers of low socioeconomic status and among children born to mothers who score poorly on a mental health index.

Keywords: Birth outcomes; Crime; Mexico; Selective fertility.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Homicide rate by year and month in Mexico (per 10,000 population)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Municipality homicide rates per 10,000 inhabitants
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Homicide rate (per 10,000 population) and birth weight (g) by year and month in Mexico
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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