Long-Term Effects of Civil Conflict on Women's Health Outcomes in Peru

Peru's internal conflict resulted in over 69,000 deaths and disappearances from 1980 to 2000. We investigate the long-term health effects on women exposed to this conflict in utero and in early life. Utilizing recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHSs) and district-level conflict data, we find that exposure in utero has long lasting impacts on a woman's height (an indicator of long-term health), even controlling for life-cycle factors (education and wealth) and the availability of public health centers. We find no long-term effects on short term health (anemia and Body Mass Index (BMI)) or psychosocial indicators (domestic abuse).