When mom was a stranger. the effect of parents’ migration status on child survival in the foundling hospital of Madrid, 1890-1930

Bárbara A Revuelta-Eugercios, Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC)
Sol Juárez, Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC)
Renata Hosnedlova, Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC)
Diego Ramiro, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)

Infant and childhood mortality differentials have been shown to vary across populations according to different characteristics, environment and household circumstances. In this sense, the effect of migration has been found in different settings to produce better reproductive outcomes on migrant’s children in what has been called the epidemiological paradox. Survival analysis methodology will be used to examine the importance of this paradox in historical times by examining whether parents migration status (using their birthplace as a proxy) affects child survival. To this end, we will analyse the foundlings of the Inclusa (Foundling Hospital) of Madrid at the beginning of the 20th century whose archives guarantee an especially vulnerable population in socio-economic terms as well as reliable information on parents’ origin.