Living Arrangements and Low Birthweight: Evidence from Spain

Chiara Dello Iacono , Universidad de Salamanca
Miguel Requena, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED)
Mikolaj Stanek, University of Salamanca

Birth weight is considered one of the crucial indicators of individual and population health as it determines the chances of a new-born to experience satisfactory growth and development. There is therefore an extensive body of research exploring various determinants of perinatal health, including the impact of living arrangements. In this study, we explored the relationships between living arrangements and low birthweight (LBW) in Spain. Our study uses a novel database provided by the Spanish National Statistics Office that links the 2011 Census with birth registers for years 2011–2015. Using logistic regressions and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition techniques we explore the effects of two specific forms of mothers’ living arrangements (living or not with a partner and living with nonnuclear adults) on the likelihood of infants’ LBW. Our analysis provides novel and disruptive evidence regarding the effect of partnership status on perinatal health. First, we show that living with partners has no effect on low birthweight. Second, we reveal that living arrangements including nonnuclear coresidents are associated with negative effects on birth weight.

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 Presented in Session P1. Postercafe