Education and Labor Market Consequences of Teenage Childbearing: Evidence Using the Timing of Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Fixed Effects

Abstract

The authors explore the consequences of teen childbearing to the mother using a comparison group of pregnant teens who had miscarriages. Taking into account birth control choices, the timing of miscarriages, and community factors, they find evidence that teenage childbearing likely reduces the probability of receiving a high school diploma by 5 to 10 percentage points, reduces annual income as a young adult by $1,000 to $2,400, and may increase the probability of receiving cash assistance and decrease years of schooling.