In a survey released this morning by Scioto Analysis, 18 out of 20 economists surveyed agreed that providing targeted health and human service programs to pregnant women will significantly reduce infant mortality.
Currently, the Ohio Legislature is considering HB7, “the Strong Foundations Act,” which would appropriate $34 million over two fiscal years to fund a suite of programs aimed at improving outcomes for pregnant people as well as families with very young children.
The current problem is highlighted by Jonathan Andreas from Bluffton University: “The US does poorly on infant mortality and it is partly due to poor prenatal care for women who are uninsured or who have health insurance that discourages care through high-deductibles or by randomly denying coverage for routine care.” Or as Kay Strong writes “healthy mothers are a prerequisite for healthy children.”
Additionally, 12 of 20 economists surveyed agreed that providing targeted health and human service programs to pregnant women will increase maternal labor force participation. As Jonathan Andreas wrote “healthier moms with healthier babies are generally better able to work.”
Will Georgic from Ohio Wesleyan was uncertain about the labor force impacts of these policies, writing: “The direction of this relationship entirely depends on the structure and incentives of the health and human service programs. It's possible to imagine these programs either increasing or decreasing labor force participation of pregnant women. It is still possible, though, for these programs to be efficient even if they result in a temporary reduction in labor force participation for expecting mothers.”
The Ohio Economic Experts Panel is a panel of over 40 Ohio Economists from over 30 Ohio higher educational institutions conducted by Scioto Analysis. The goal of the Ohio Economic Experts Panel is to promote better policy outcomes by providing policymakers, policy influencers, and the public with the informed opinions of Ohio’s leading economists. Individual responses to all surveys can be found here.