SOCIOLOGY AND FAMILY STUDIES

A Quantitative Analysis of Economic, Social, and Cultural Determinants of Childbirth Experiences in America (O)

Presenter: Katie Beth Dowling

Faculty Project Advisor: Matt Henderson

Abundant research demonstrates varied effects of culture, social hierarchies, and economics on pregnancy. Few studies, however, focus on these effects simultaneously, or utilize large representative population samples, resulting in an incomplete understanding of how pregnancy outcomes vary across the population. Relying on data from the National Survey of Family Growth, I analyze multiple economic, social, and cultural determinants of childbirth experiences. Analyses demonstrate a strong relationship between family characteristics, such as age of parents, mother’s marital status, and mother’s work status, and pregnancy outcomes, net of other socioeconomic factors. Results favor the conclusion that social and cultural factors play a greater role in the choices and experiences of pregnant women than economic ones. n