COVID-19 and women's health: Examining changes in mental health and fertility

Researchers have speculated that the economic and social consequences of COVID19 will harm women's health. This paper tests this claim in the immediate aftermath of Mexico City's COVID-19 stay-at-home order using call-center data. We use an event-study design to track calls for fertility decisions and mental health. Our findings indicate that mental health worsened during the pandemic. Anxiety calls increased substantially, with the effect being most pronounced for those over 45. Calls related to abortion fell in number, while pregnancy calls remained stable. The abortion effect is most pronounced for women between 15 and 30 and those with a high school degree. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The economic and social consequences of COVID-19 are speculated to negatively impact women's health. This study conducted in the aftermath of Mexico City's COVID-19 stay-at-home order found that mental health deteriorated during the pandemic, with an increase in anxiety calls. Calls related to abortion decreased while pregnancy-related calls remained stable. The impact of abortion was most pronounced among women aged 15 to 30 and those with a high school degree.