Prenatal Economic Shocks and Birth Outcomes in UK Cohort Data

Clark, Andrew; d'ambrosio, Conchita; Rohde, Nicholas

Reference : Prenatal Economic Shocks and Birth Outcomes in UK Cohort Data


	Document type :	Scientific journals : Article
	Discipline(s) :	Business & economic sciences : Special economic topics (health, labor, transportation…)
	To cite this reference:	http://hdl.handle.net/10993/45166

Title :	Prenatal Economic Shocks and Birth Outcomes in UK Cohort Data
Language :	English
Author, co-author :	Clark, Andrew [Paris School of Economics and CNSR]
	d'ambrosio, Conchita [University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (FHSE) > Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences (DBCS) >]
	Rohde, Nicholas [Griffith University]
Publication date :	2021
Journal title :	Economics and Human Biology
Publisher :	Elsevier
Volume :	41
Pages :	100964
Peer reviewed :	Yes (verified by ORBi^lu)
Audience :	International
ISSN :	1570-677X
e-ISSN :	1873-6130
City :	Amsterdam
Country :	Netherlands
Keywords :	[en] ALSPAC ; Birth weight ; Economic shocks ; Infant health
Abstract :	[en] We consider the effects of major prenatal economic shocks experienced by mothers on two indicators of newborn-infant health, birth weight and head circumference, using detailed microdata from the UK ALSPAC survey. Controlling for physiological and socioeconomic factors, an economic shock in the first 18 weeks of gestation lowers birth weight by 40-70 grams and head circumference by 2-3mm. We find evidence of transmission via poorer maternal health due to absolute material deprivation and tobacco and alcohol consumption, but not for the endocrinological effects of increased psychosocial anxiety. The fragile-male hypothesis holds for birth weight but not for head circumference, as predicted by recent theories on gender differences in prenatal development.
Permalink :	http://hdl.handle.net/10993/45166
FnR project :	FnR ; FNR12677653 > Conchita D'Ambrosio > FESI > Financial Strain and Economic Instability: Effects on Wellbeing and Behaviour over the Life Course > 01/09/2019 > 31/08/2022 > 2018

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