Graduation Year

2020

Date of Submission

5-2020

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Biophysics

Second Department

Economics

Reader 1

Professor Adam Landsberg

Reader 2

Professor Jeffrey Flory

Rights Information

2020 Megan R Tankersley

Abstract

Maternal health care plays a key role in shaping populations; however, it varies drastically in countries with different income levels. We developed a Dynamic Demographic Model under a number of different assumptions to elucidate the impacts of maternal health care of populations and mortality rates. This enables us to better understand the implications of inequality in maternal health care. This thesis specifically looks at maternal health care in terms of the following variables: maternal mortality, fertility rates, infant mortality, and stillbirths. To look closer at the interactions between these variables and population changes, three models are used to simulate different relationships. The first model discusses the relationship between population growth and fertility rates as a sample population moves towards an equilibrium. The second model simultaneously demonstrates the relationship between population changes and mortality rates, as well as the relationship between child survivorship rates and fertility rates. The final model displays the relationship between total population changes and mortality rates. All three of these models are run based on sample data from low and high income countries to show how the variables interact over long periods of time to move towards an equilibrium. The takeaway from all of these models is that maternal health care variables play a key role in shaping any population, where small changes in maternal health care variables can create large macro-level impacts. I believe this suggests there should be more equitable access to women’s reproductive resources and rights in all countries.

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This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.

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