Intergenerational Transmission of Health at Birth from Mothers and Fathers

55 Pages Posted: 21 May 2019 Last revised: 8 Nov 2024

See all articles by Osea Giuntella

Osea Giuntella

University of Oxford

Giulia La Mattina

University of South Florida

Climent Quintana-Domeque

University of Oxford

Abstract

We use a unique data set of linked birth records from Florida to analyze the intergenerational transmission of health at birth by parental gender. We show that both paternal and maternal birth weights significantly predict the child's birth weight even after accounting for all genetic and environmental factors that are common and time-invariant within a family. Our estimates reveal that a one standard deviation increase in mother's birth weight (535 grams) translates into a 0.13-0.23 standard deviations increase in child's birth weight (70-123 grams), accounting or not for maternal grandmother fixed effects.On the father's side, we find that a one standard deviation increase in father's birth weight (563 grams) translates into a 0.10-0.14 standard deviations increase in child's birth weight (51-73 grams), accounting or not for maternal grandmother fixed effects. The significant role of both maternal and paternal health at birth in explaining offspring health at birth is confirmed when using alternative metrics: intrauterine growth restriction, being small for gestational age, or being too heavy (i.e., macrosomic).

Keywords: health capital, intergenerational transmission, birth outcomes, gender

JEL Classification: J1

Suggested Citation

Giuntella, Osea and La Mattina, Giulia and Quintana-Domeque, Climent, Intergenerational Transmission of Health at Birth from Mothers and Fathers. IZA Discussion Paper No. 12105, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3390093

Osea Giuntella (Contact Author)

University of Oxford ( email )

No Address Available

Giulia La Mattina

University of South Florida ( email )

Tampa, FL 33620
United States

HOME PAGE: http://economics.usf.edu/faculty/glmattina/

Climent Quintana-Domeque

University of Oxford ( email )

Mansfield Road
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4AU
United Kingdom

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