tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Month of conception may influence infant health at birth
Women who conceive at certain times of the year may be predisposed to infant health outcomes such as premature birth, researchers report. Numerous studies have linked season of birth with adult outcomes as diverse as body height, IQ, mental health, earned income, and life expectancy. Recent findings, however, suggest that season of birth may be immaterial compared with maternal socioeconomic status, as mothers who are young, poor, undereducated, minorities, and unmarried tend to give birth in seasons associated with the worst adult outcomes. Janet Currie and Hannes Schwandt explored the relationship between season of conception and health at birth by comparing siblings born to 647,050 mothers in New York City, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania?more than 1.4 million births in all. The analysis uncovered a 10% higher rate of prematurity among infants conceived in May than in other months of the year, possibly reflecting the spike in seasonal flu cases during the months of January and February, when the women were nearing full term, the authors report. In addition, infants conceived in the summer months tended to weigh approximately 8 to 9 grams more than other infants, likely due to seasonal patterns in pregnancy weight gain. The results could not be explained by factors such as smoking or marital status. The authors suggest that the findings could inform public policies, such as those that encourage pregnant women to get flu shots.
http://chinese.eurekalert.org/en/pub_releases/2013-07/aaft-moc070513.php
Women who conceive at certain times of the year may be predisposed to infant health outcomes such as premature birth, researchers report. Numerous studies have linked season of birth with adult outcomes as diverse as body height, IQ, mental health, earned income, and life expectancy. Recent findings, however, suggest that season of birth may be immaterial compared with maternal socioeconomic status, as mothers who are young, poor, undereducated, minorities, and unmarried tend to give birth in seasons associated with the worst adult outcomes. Janet Currie and Hannes Schwandt explored the relationship between season of conception and health at birth by comparing siblings born to 647,050 mothers in New York City, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania?more than 1.4 million births in all. The analysis uncovered a 10% higher rate of prematurity among infants conceived in May than in other months of the year, possibly reflecting the spike in seasonal flu cases during the months of January and February, when the women were nearing full term, the authors report. In addition, infants conceived in the summer months tended to weigh approximately 8 to 9 grams more than other infants, likely due to seasonal patterns in pregnancy weight gain. The results could not be explained by factors such as smoking or marital status. The authors suggest that the findings could inform public policies, such as those that encourage pregnant women to get flu shots.
http://chinese.eurekalert.org/en/pub_releases/2013-07/aaft-moc070513.php