Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/90117 
Year of Publication: 
2013
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 7834
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
We investigate the impact of obstetrician supervision, as opposed to midwife supervision, on the short-term health of low-risk newborns. We exploit a unique policy rule in the Netherlands that creates a large discontinuity in the probability of a low-risk birth being attended by an obstetrician at gestational week 37. Using a fuzzy regression discontinuity design, we consistently find no health benefits from obstetrician supervision, despite increased rates of neonatal intensive care unit admissions among births supervised by obstetricians. These results indicate potential cost savings from increased use of midwifery care for low-risk deliveries.
Subjects: 
medical technology
birth
midwife
mortality
JEL: 
I11
I12
I18
J13
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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