The effects of gender-specific local labor demand on birth and later outcomes
利用日本新生儿纵向调查数据，研究发现孕期早期当地就业机会增加会提高低出生体重和早产风险，其中女性劳动力需求增加对年轻母亲的妊娠期有较大负面影响，但未发现对幼儿期严重健康或发育问题的持续影响。
We study the effects of local labor market conditions during early pregnancy on birth and later outcomes. Using a longitudinal survey of newborns in Japan, we find that improvements in employment opportunities increase the probability of low birth weight and premature birth. We also examine the effects of gender-specific labor market conditions. An increase in labor demand for women has a large negative effect on gestational age, especially for mothers who gave birth at relatively young ages. However, we find little evidence of a lasting negative effect of an increase in labor demand during early pregnancy on serious health conditions or developmental delays in early childhood. Using prefecture-level panel data, we confirm that the negative effect on infant birth weight is not driven by selective fertility and mortality.