Educational gaps in medical care and health behavior: Evidence from US Natality data

The US Natality files provide information on medical procedures and health related behavior during pregnancy and childbirth. The data set represents nearly the universe of mothers who give birth in the US, providing the most complete coverage possible of medical care and health behavior among a specific patient population. We document gaps in outcomes by education of the mother and the changes in these educational gaps during 1989–2002.

► Natality data provide comprehensive coverage of medical care for pregnancies.
► We document educational gaps in medical and health outcomes during pregnancy/birth.
► For most outcomes that we examine, these gaps have persisted over time.
► Marital status and age are two mechanisms through which education affects health.
► Our evidence can aid in examining the impact of policies on educational gaps.