Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2011 Summer;25(3):153-172.
doi: 10.1257/jep.25.3.153.

Killing Me Softly: The Fetal Origins Hypothesis

Douglas Almond  1 , Janet Currie  1
Affiliations

Killing Me Softly: The Fetal Origins Hypothesis

Douglas Almond et al. J Econ Perspect. 2011 Summer.

Abstract

In the epidemiological literature, the fetal origins hypothesis associated with David J. Barker posits that chronic, degenerative conditions of adult health, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes, may be triggered by circumstance decades earlier, in utero nutrition in particular. Economists have expanded on this hypothesis, investigating a broader range of fetal shocks and circumstances and have found a wealth of later-life impacts on outcomes including test scores, educational attainment, and income, along with health. In the process, they have provided some of the most credible observational evidence in support of the hypothesis. The magnitude of the impacts is generally large. Thus, the fetal origins hypothesis has not only survived contact with economics, but has flourished.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Shock persistence by age: Grossman framework
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Adhvaryu Achyuta R, Nyshadham Anant. Endowments and investments within the household: Evidence from iodine supplementation in tanzania. Yale University; Apr, 2011. manuscript.
    1. Aizer Anna, Stroud Laura. Education, medical knowledge and the evolution of disparities in health. Brown University; Sep, 2009. manuscript.
    1. Aizer Anna, Stroud Laura, Buka Stephen. Maternal stress and child well-being: Evidence from siblings. Brown University; Feb, 2009. manuscript. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Almond Douglas. Is the 1918 Influenza Pandemic over? Long-term effects of in utero influenza exposure in the post-1940 U.S. population. Journal of Political Economy. 2006 Aug;114(4):672–712.
    1. Almond Douglas, Currie Janet. Human Capital Development Before Age 5. 4b. Elsevier; 2011. Handbook of Labor Economics; pp. 1315–1486.

LinkOut - more resources