Evidences show time of birth has relationship with health of babies

It seems to be unthinkable babies conceived at certain times of the year appear healthier than those conceived during other times. Now scientists have shown that the unimaginable phenomenon is actually true. And they may know why it happens.

Since the 1930s, researchers have noticed that children born in winter were more prone to health problems later in life: slower growth, mental illness, poor health status, and early death. Among the proposed explanations were diseases, harsh temperatures, and higher pollution levels associated with winter, when those expectant mothers and near-term fetuses might be most vulnerable. However, as economists looked at demographics, the picture got more complicated. Mothers who are nonwhite, unmarried, or lack a college education are more likely to have children with health and developmental problems. They are also more likely to conceive in the first half of the year. That made it hard to tease out the socioeconomic effects from the seasonal ones.

May is the most unfavorable time to get pregnant, study conducted by Economists Janet Currie and Hannes Schwandt finds. Babies conceived this month (and thus delivered in winter) were 13% more likely to be born premature, and their gestation time was almost a week below the average, Currie and Schwandt report.