Differentials in the incidence of births while on welfare: Evidence from Maryland

Abstract

Births while on public assistance has been one of the central topics in the welfare debate in Maryland because the welfare grant increases with the number of children, and there is debate about whether or not to continue the increased income provision. Based on the Quality Control (QC) data for the period from July 1991 to June 1992, this study examined differentials in the incidence of births conceived and borne while the mothers were on welfare. The results indicate that about one‐quarter of recipient children were born on welfare and that higher incidences of these births occur among mothers with less than high‐school education, never‐married, young, Baltimore residents, and with fewer children at entry on welfare. The presence of parents of welfare mothers or of any adults in the household is found to reduce the incidence of births. Disallowance of the increased welfare grant for additional children may increase the number of families in poverty and the number of children in foster care unless efforts are made to reduce unintentional births and school drop‐outs and to fill the gap between mothers’ schooling and the needs of the job market.