We examine the multigenerational impacts of legalized abortion in the United States by analyzing how early-life exposure to this policy shift affects birth outcomes in the next generation. Using event study and two-way fixed effects models, we link maternal early-life exposure to legal abortion with improved birth outcomes in the subsequent generation, including higher birth weights and reduced rates of low birth weight. These improvements are driven by changes in the composition of births among directly exposed cohorts as well as improvements in educational attainment and prenatal care utilization. Our results highlight the far-reaching implications of reproductive health policies, especially relevant in the post-Dobbs era, where access may once again become constrained for many.

Co-sponsored with the Department of Health Care Management at the Wharton School.

Please note: Registration is required. In-person attendance is strongly encouraged, although virtual access will be provided for all registrants.

---

Speaker

David Slusky, PhD, is a health economist, educator, and academic leader whose research examines how health policy and access to care affect health and economic outcomes. He is nationally recognized for his work on Medicaid, reproductive health care, environmental health, and health care delivery.

Dr. Slusky serves as Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Kansas, where he is also Professor of Economics and Professor (by courtesy) in the Department of Population Health in the School of Medicine. He is also Executive Director of the American Society of Health Economists.

Previously, he served as Chair of the Department of Speech-Language-Hearing where he led a multidisciplinary department of faculty, staff, researchers, and clinicians. He has also held visiting research appointments at the Stockholm School of Economics, Uppsala University, and SOFI.

Dr. Slusky is a Co-Editor of the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, a Research Associate at NBER, a Research Fellow at IZA@LISER, and a J-PAL North America Invited Researcher. His research has been published in leading economics and medical journals and featured by major media outlets including The New York Times, The Economist, NPR, Bloomberg, Time, and The Washington Post. He earned his PhD and MA in Economics from Princeton University and his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in Physics and International Studies from Yale University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.