Early Childbearing, Human Capital Attainment, and Mortality Risk: Evidence from a Longitudinal Demographic Surveillance Area in Rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Authors provide evidence from a longitudinal demographic surveillance area in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa to discuss about early childbearing, human capital attainment, and mortality risk. From a policy perspective it is important to know whether high levels of teen fertility have a negative impact on women's human capital, which in turn could have a negative impact on their employment, their earnings, and the well-being of their children. The consequences of teen fertility are difficult to evaluate, as the large and highly contentious literature on teen fertility in the United States has demonstrated. Empirical evidence on the socioeconomic consequences of teen childbearing in developing countries such as South Africa is scarce.