The proposed research will explore a number of biomedical and social issues related to infertility problems of American women and the consequences of these problems for the health of their children. It draws extensively on demographic, biometric, and biostatistical models of the reproductive process, and empirical findings from the biomedical and epidemiological literature. The broad questions to be addressed include: (1) To what extent do problems manifested early in the reproductive cycle foreshadow later problems? (2) For women, to what extent do such problems lead to health problems for their children? ((3) How long do such problems persist during early childhood? The research draws on two datasets with complementary strengths: the Rand Health Insurance Experiment (HIE) and the 1982 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). The HIE furnishes detailed information on pregnancy-related medical problems encountered by approximately 2,400 women of childbearing age over a five-year period. The NSFG furnishes information on nearly 8,00 women, including: highly detailed reproductive histories, starting at menarche; infertility and the use of infertility services; and the health of children (gestational age, birthweight, congenital anomalies, and acute episodes in the first year of life). The joint use will provide more detailed answers to questions concerning the role of reproductive health for the health of children using nationally representative samples of the U.S. population.
