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DO IN UTERO SHOCKS HAVE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON CHILD HEALTH OUTCOMES AND CAN WELFARE SCHEMES AMELIORATE SUCH EFFECTS?
1*Alfred Deakin Institute,Deakin University,Australia.
Insights
Prenatal shocks negatively impact child health, reducing weight and height. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) offers some protection, unlike the Midday Meal Scheme (MDMS).
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Developmental Economics
- Child Development
Background:
- Prenatal environmental exposures can significantly influence long-term child health outcomes.
- Government welfare schemes are often implemented to mitigate socioeconomic disadvantages.
- Understanding the impact of in utero shocks and the efficacy of interventions is crucial for public health policy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the adverse effects of in utero shocks on child health indicators.
- To evaluate the role of the Midday Meal Scheme (MDMS) and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in ameliorating these effects.
- To provide evidence for improving the coordination of welfare schemes for child health.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from three phases of the Young Lives Survey in Andhra Pradesh (2002, 2007, 2009-2010).
- Employed ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation to analyze the relationship between in utero shocks and child health z-scores.
- Differentiated various types of in utero shocks and assessed the impact of MDMS and NREGS.
Main Results:
- Multiple in utero shocks were associated with reduced weight-for-age and height-for-age z-scores (0.07-0.08 and 0.08-0.15 units, respectively).
- The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) demonstrated a significant mitigating effect on the adverse impacts of in utero shocks.
- The Midday Meal Scheme (MDMS) showed statistically insignificant effects in buffering these prenatal disadvantages.
Conclusions:
- In utero shocks have a measurable negative impact on children's physical development.
- The NREGS, despite not being primarily a child health intervention, acts as a more effective buffer against in utero shock effects than the MDMS.
- Enhanced coordination between welfare schemes like NREGS and MDMS is recommended to improve child health outcomes.
Abstract:
This study aimed to assess whether shocks experienced by children in the mother's womb can have an adverse effect on their future health, and whether these effects can be ameliorated by government welfare schemes. Data were taken from three phases of the Young Lives Survey carried out in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh in 2002, 2007 and 2009-2010. Different types of in utero shock were distinguished from the data. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation, it was observed that multiple in utero shocks reduced children's weight-for-age and height-for-age z-scores by 0.07-0.08 and 0.08-0.15 units respectively. The roles of two Indian government welfare schemes - the Midday Meal Scheme (MDMS) and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) - in mitigating the adverse effects of in utero shocks were examined. While the effect of the MDMS was statistically insignificant, that of the NREGS was significant. Although not designed to protect child health, the NREGS has been playing a more effective role than the MDMS in acting as a buffer against the damaging effects of in utero shocks on child health. The study points to the need for greater co-ordination between the two welfare schemes.
