Intergenerational influences and Migration: Ruality and Adolescent Fertility in Lujan, Argentina

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2013

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Justman, Cydney Elizabeth

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Abstract

This cross sectional study explores migration, intergenerational influences and social isolation as determinants of early pregnancy in Lujan's rural communities, which are home to generations of migrants from neighboring nations and northern provinces. Results suggest that, even when controlling for socioeconomics, migrant families and individuals experience higher levels of social isolation than their native-born neighbors; that migrant females are more likely to have a pregnancy before the age of 17; and that although first-generation born females (daughter of at least one migrant parent) have a lower average of age at first pregnancy, first-generation born females show a stronger trend of delaying first pregnancy than native-born and migrant females, diverging from the fertility norms of their parents' place of origin, and adopting the fertility norms of Lujan.

Addressing both migrant health and adolescent health can be challenging in low-resource settings. However, as the results of this study show, addressing the determinants of social isolation, which is significantly associated with high levels of adolescent fertility and adverse health outcomes, may be as simple as extending opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities, and strengthening social networks.

A small cohort of 119 women and girls were surveyed, and a total of 26 different places of origin were represented, including many of Argentina's Northern provinces and neighboring countries. This cross-sectional study was guided by the two following hypotheses:

1) First-generation born daughters and migrants have higher odds of having an early first pregnancy than their native-born counterparts.

2) First-generation born daughters will show a higher degree of divergence in age at first pregnancy from their mothers than native-born and migrant daughters, exhibiting successful fertility assimilation.

Hypothesis one, tested using multivariate logistic regression models, was partially supported by the results. Through mechanisms unique to migration, such as the distinct implications that rurality and social isolation have on migrant communities, migrants have higher odds of having an early first pregnancy than their native-born counterparts. Results for first-generation born (daughters of at least one migrant), although not statistically significant, do suggest that they as well have higher odds of having an early first pregnancy than their native-born counterparts.

Hypothesis two, tested using modified difference in differences models, was supported by the results of this study. Overall, first-generation born show a higher degree of divergence in age at first pregnancy from their mothers than native-born and migrants. First generation are having their first pregnancies at an average of 1.18 years later than their mothers, where native born and migrants overall divergence is negatively directed, and insignificant. The analyses show that intergenerational divergence in age at first pregnancy is responsive to period conditions as well as migration and/or assimilation processes. Overall, across the time periods (age cohorts), and migration categories, divergence suggests a slow but positive direction, where girls are starting to delay their first pregnancies. Again, this trend has the strongest degree in first generation born, suggesting successful fertility assimilation. The versatility of the data collected in this study allows for exploration of inter-generational influences and migration as both separate and inter-related mechanisms by which reproductive health outcomes are affected.

1) First-generation born daughters and migrants have higher odds of having an early first pregnancy.

2) First-generation born daughters will show more deviation in age at first pregnancy from their mothers than native-born daughters.

Through logistic regression analyses, both hypotheses were tested. Hypothesis one was supported by the results. Through mechanisms unique to migration, such as a unique experience of rurality and social isolation, migrants and daughters of migrants have increased odds of having an early first pregnancy. Hypothesis two was not supported by the results of this study, and show that native-born females have a strong and negative deviation in age at first pregnancy from their mothers, migrants have a strong positive deviation in age at first pregnancy from their mothers, and first-generation born have no significant deviation.

While not initially intended, this study allows for exploration of inter-generational influences and migration both separate and inter-related mechanisms by which reproductive health determinants are affected.

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Justman, Cydney Elizabeth (2013). Intergenerational influences and Migration: Ruality and Adolescent Fertility in Lujan, Argentina. Master's thesis, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/7329.

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