The Effect of Grandmaternal and Maternal Health and Socioeconomic Factors on Birth Weight

Nan M. Astone, Johns Hopkins University

In this paper we examine the intergenerational transmission of birth weight. Using a unique data source, we look at the effect of grandmaternal and maternal health and socioeconomic factors on infant birth weight. In preliminary results, one of the most striking findings is that of grandmaternal STD, which is associated with a birth weight deficit of over 150 grams, even after controlling for genetic factors.