Exposure to Nearby Homicides and Young Women's Reproductive Lives During the Transition to Adulthood

We merge information on the date and location of homicides in Flint, MI with georeferenced weekly panel data from the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life study to assess how and why nearby homicides immediately impact young women's risk of pregnancy. Women's probability of conceiving a pregnancy increased in weeks when homicides occurred within .25 miles of their homes relative to in other weeks. This increase in pregnancy risk reflected decreases in contraceptive use, especially of short-acting hormonal methods. Contraceptive changes, however, were not accompanied by immediate changes in feelings about pregnancy or contraception, nor by immediate changes in contraceptive access or forgetfulness. Rather, in weeks when nearby homicides occurred, women were less likely to use contraception "just because," suggesting a marked decline in their reproductive vigilance. Although the small sample causes uncertainty about the magnitude of these differences, when they culminate in pregnancy, the immediate consequences of nearby homicides can have lifelong ramifications for young adults.