Reproductive Health Care in Catholic-Owned Hospitals

83 Pages Posted: 11 Sep 2017 Last revised: 19 Sep 2022

See all articles by Elaine Hill

Elaine Hill

University of Rochester - Department of Public Health Sciences

David Slusky

University of Kansas; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Donna K. Ginther

University of Kansas - Department of Economics

Date Written: September 2017

Abstract

Mergers that affiliate a hospital with a Catholic owner, network, or system reduce the set of possible reproductive medical procedures since Catholic hospitals have strict prohibitions on contraception. Using changes in ownership of hospitals, we find that Catholic hospitals reduce the per bed rates of tubal ligations by 31%, whereas there is no significant change in related permitted procedures such as Caesarian sections. However, across a variety of measures, we find minimal overall welfare reductions. Still, fewer tubal ligations increase the risk of unintended pregnancies across the United States, imposing a potentially substantial cost for less reliable contraception on women and their partners.

Suggested Citation

Hill, Elaine and Slusky, David and Ginther, Donna K., Reproductive Health Care in Catholic-Owned Hospitals (September 2017). NBER Working Paper No. w23768, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3035108

Elaine Hill (Contact Author)

University of Rochester - Department of Public Health Sciences ( email )

David Slusky

University of Kansas ( email )

1300 Sunnyside Drive
Lawrence, KS 66045-7585
United States

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Donna K. Ginther

University of Kansas - Department of Economics ( email )

1300 Sunnyside Drive
Lawrence, KS 66045-7585
United States

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