Rainfall and Birth Outcome: Evidence from Kyrgyzstan

Le, Kien and Nguyen, My (2022): Rainfall and Birth Outcome: Evidence from Kyrgyzstan. Published in: Climate and Development (7 March 2022)

Abstract

This study evaluates the extent to which fetal exposure to rainfall shocks influences birth weight outcomes in Kyrgyzstan, one of the most climate change vulnerable countries in Central Asia. We detect detrimental impacts of rainfall shocks during the prenatal period on birth weight. Specifically, a 0.1 log point increase in in-utero rainfall relative to the local norm reduces birth weight by 23.4 grams (or 0.84%). Furthermore, children born to poor mothers and mothers residing in rural areas are disproportionately affected. The adverse impacts of prenatal exposure to rainfall shocks could be partly attributed to prenatal care, diseases, and nutrient intakes. Besides, the impacts tend to concentrate in the first trimester of pregnancy.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Birth Weight, Rainfall, Climate Change, Kyrgyzstan
• Subjects: I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I10 - General; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I15 - Health and Economic Development; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I18 - Government Policy ; Regulation ; Public Health; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q54 - Climate ; Natural Disasters and Their Management ; Global Warming

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