Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2024
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.20861 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
Table of Contents:
- This paper investigates the mental health penalty for women after childbirth in Switzerland. Leveraging insurance data, we employ a staggered difference-in-difference research design. The findings reveal a substantial mental health penalty for women following the birth of their first child. Approximately four years after childbirth, there is a one percentage point (p.p.) increase in antidepressant prescriptions, representing a 50% increase compared to pre-birth levels. This increase rises to 1.7 p.p. (a 75% increase) six years postpartum. The mental health penalty is likely not only a direct consequence of giving birth but also a consequence of the changed life circumstances and time constraints that accompany it, as the penalty is rising over time and is higher for women who are employed.