Obstetric Unit Closure Effects on Child Academic Achievement, Infant Health, and Maternal Care

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Pediatric Health

Background:

• Obstetric unit closures can affect healthcare access and potentially impact maternal and child health outcomes.
• Understanding the long-term consequences of these closures is crucial for public health policy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of obstetric unit closures on children's academic achievement (math and reading scores).
• To examine the impact of obstetric unit closures on infant health (gestational age, birthweight) and maternal care outcomes (prenatal visits).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study using Iowa birth certificate data (1994-2009) linked to school test scores (grades 2-11).
• Employed two-way fixed effects (TWFE) and Callaway and Sant'Anna (C&S) difference-in-differences models.
• Analyzed outcomes including national percentile rankings (NPRs) for math/reading, gestational age, birthweight, and prenatal visits.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant impact of obstetric unit closures on children's math or reading NPRs.
• Small, non-significant associations observed for gestational age and birthweight.
• Other infant health and maternal care outcomes showed minimal and non-significant associations.

Conclusions:

• Limited evidence suggests obstetric unit closures within five years of birth do not significantly affect children's academic performance or infant health.
• Future research should explore effects on care continuity, access, and potential disparities based on maternal risk factors.