DIFFERENTIALS IN THE INCIDENCE OF BIRTHS WHILE ON WELFARE - EVIDENCE FROM MARYLAND

Births while on public assistance has been one of the central topics i n the welfare debate in Maryland because the welfare grant increases w ith the number of children, and there is debate about whether or not t o continue the increased income provision. Based on the Quality Contro l (QC) data for the period from July 1991 to June 1992, this study exa mined differentials in the incidence of births conceived and borne whi le the mothers were on welfare. The results indicate that about one-qu arter of recipient children were born on welfare and that higher incid ences of these births occur among mothers with less than high-school e ducation, never-married, young, Baltimore residents, and with fewer ch ildren 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 ch ildren may increase the number of families in poverty and the number o f children in foster care unless efforts are made to reduce unintentio nal births and school drop-outs and to fill the gap between mothers' s chooling and the needs of the job market.