Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/267162 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Series/Report no.: 
ISER Working Paper Series No. 2022-09
Publisher: 
University of Essex, Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), Colchester
Abstract: 
Research has documented that economic downturns increase the risk of pregnancy loss. However, previous work on has not addressed the influence of in utero exposure to job loss with high-quality individual data. We draw on 'Understanding Society' (UKHLS, sweeps 1-11, 2009-2020), which contains a sample of 7,698 pregnancies. The dependent variable identifies a non-live birth, namely a miscarriage or a stillbirth. We examine the couples who were exposed to an involuntary job loss and those who were not. Baseline models controlling for women's socio-demographic background and prior experience of miscarriage indicate an increased risk of pregnancy loss when exposed to in utero job loss [odds ratio (OR) = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.42, 3.29]. When we account for all current socio-economic characteristics, the association remains statistically significant [odds ratio (OR) =1.96, 95% CI: 1.29, 2.98]. The findings support the inference that the in utero exposure to an involuntary job loss increases the risk of pregnancy disruption.
Subjects: 
pregnancy loss
stillbirth
miscarriage
job loss
UK
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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