Abstract
ABSTRACT
Objective
To measure the impact of pregnancy and childbirth on debt and personal credit scores by race, ethnicity, and geography.
Study Setting and Design
We used Medicaid claims data, credit report data, and the Callaway Sant'Anna difference‐in‐differences method to compare relative changes in credit score, medical debt, and nonmedical debt between women moving through their pregnancies and women who weren't pregnant.
Data Sources and Analytic Sample
Louisiana Medicaid claims data (January 2017 to December 2020).
Principal Findings
While outcomes were not adversely impacted for non‐Hispanic White women, non‐Hispanic Black women experienced worsening financial measures following their pregnancies: credit scores decreased from Month 4 to 14 (4 points, 95% CI: −5.65 to −1.81,
p
p
= 0.02), and nonmedical debt increased from Month 2 to 21 ($44, 95% CI: $15–$74,
p
Conclusions
Pregnancy and childbirth were associated with worsening financial outcomes among low‐income Medicaid‐enrolled mothers, particularly among non‐Hispanic Black women. These findings highlight the importance of broader economic supports to reduce financial disruption associated with pregnancy and childbirth among low‐income families and address disparities in maternal and child well‐being.