What is it like to be born in times of crisis? Does it have health effects? One study has analyzed the effects of Iceland's economic recession in 2008 and according to the findings, recently presented, The effects of the crisis in pregnancy are comparable to drinking or smoking.
According to data from the last 30 years, newborns exposed to the economic recession during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, weighed an average of 120 grams less at birth and were more likely to suffer certain neonatal diseases.
Icelandic 'children of the recession' had a 3.5% higher risk of underweight at birth, a more acute effect in the case of girls, in which the reduction in birth weight was more significant.
Stress is not a minor risk factor. The baby perceives the mother's stress during pregnancy, but let's not forget that the father's condition also counts at the time of conception, affecting from the beginning the development in the womb.
Has the crisis in Spain affected pregnancies? We have no data on how it has affected the health of children born in recent years, but it would be interesting to know them.
The conclusions of the study demonstrate the importance of the relationship between economy and health, and the need to pay more attention to this less known face of the recession that affects the future of many children.
