Long-term consequences of early life exposure to war: a look at later life outcomes of children conceived during the Vietnam war

Nobuko Mizoguchi, University of California, Berkeley

This paper aims to explore the long-term effects of maternal stress on the children who were conceived during the heaviest period of fighting in the Vietnam War. A growing number of studies has shown that early life circumstances are critical determinants of morbidity and lifespan prospects. The Vietnam War lasted from 1954 to 1975 and was fought between North and South Vietnam. The Vietnamese mortality from the war is estimated to be approximately one million. Using the 1999 Vietnamese Census data, this paper will seek to understand how the war affected the youngest of the children, those who were exposed to war in utero. Outcome variables to be examined include educational attainment, literacy, labor market status, and marriage market outcomes. Demographic indicators to be examined include sex, birth year and month, marriage, and fertility. The study's findings may have general policy implications for future post-war aid efforts in other regions.