Citation

Brown R. Demography 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Population Association of America, Publisher Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s13524-020-00876-6

PMID

32514847

Abstract

Given the unexpected nature of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, a specific cohort of children were exogenously exposed to increased maternal psychological stress in utero. Rich administrative data and the precise timing of the event allow this study to uniquely provide insights into the health effects of exposure to maternal psychological stress across gestation.

RESULTS suggest that children exposed in utero were born significantly smaller and earlier than previous cohorts. The timing of the effect provides evidence that intrauterine growth is specifically restricted by first trimester exposure to stress; reductions in gestational age and increases in the likelihood of being born at low (<2,500 grams) or very low (<1,500 grams) birth weight are induced by increased maternal psychological stress mid-pregnancy. This study also documents a positively selected post-attack fertility response, which would bias an evaluation that includes cohorts conceived after September 11, 2001, in the control group.

Language: en

Keywords

Psychological distress; Birth weight; Fetal health; Maternal health