Do Targeted Reproductive Health Services Matter? – The Impact of a Midwife Program in Indonesia
研究印度尼西亚助产士项目对年轻女性首次生育年龄和受教育年限的影响，发现接触助产士的女性会推迟生育并延长在校时间，从而带来社会经济收益。
This paper examines empirically whether midwives, as an integral part of the reproductive health and family planning programs in Indonesia, are effective in advising young women to delay their first birth and also influence the decision on post-primary school attendance. Using the Indonesian Family Life Survey, I investigate the extent to which the expansion of a midwife program affects the age at first birth and the number of school years of women. My findings suggest that women who were exposed to a midwife when they have to decide on further school attendance (aged 13-20 years) delay their first birth and also stay longer in school. According to the average returns of education in Indonesia, I conclude that reproductive health services provided by midwives can generate large socioeconomic benefits by allowing young women to postpone their first birth. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.