Maternal exposure to unexpected economic contraction and birth weight for gestational age.

The macro-level economy may affect fetal health via maternal behavioral or physiologic responses. We used a multilevel design to examine associations between exposure to state-level unexpected economic contraction during each trimester of gestation and birth weight for gestational age percentile and small for gestational age (SGA), using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. We examined differences in observed associations by maternal educational attainment, race/ethnicity, employment status, and poverty status. Exposure in the first trimester was associated with a 3.7 percentile point decrease in birth weight for gestational age (95% confidence interval [CI]= −6.8 to −0.6). This association appeared stronger for women “keeping house” or with <12 years education. Exposure in the first trimester was also associated with increased odds of SGA (odds ratio= 1.5 [95% CI= 1.1 to 2.1) and term SGA (1.6 [1.2 to 2.3]). Unexpected economic contraction during early pregnancy may be associated with reduced fetal growth.

宏观经济可能通过母亲的行为或生理反应影响胎儿健康。 我们采用多层次设计，利用1979年全国青年纵向调查，研究了妊娠每个三个月期间暴露于州级意外经济收缩与胎龄别出生体重百分位数以及小于胎龄儿（SGA）之间的关联。我们按母亲的教育程度、种族/族裔、就业状况和贫困状况检验了观察到的关联的差异。 妊娠早期暴露与胎龄别出生体重下降3.7个百分位数相关（95%置信区间[CI]= -6.8至 -0.6）。对于“做家务”的女性或教育年限<12年的女性，这种关联似乎更强。妊娠早期暴露还与小于胎龄儿的几率增加相关（比值比 = 1.5[95%CI = 1.1至2.1]）以及足月小于胎龄儿（1.6[1.2至2.3]）。 怀孕早期意外的经济收缩可能与胎儿生长减缓有关。