Ramadan fasting, sex-ratio at birth, and birth weight: No effects on Muslim infants born in Germany

Hendrik Jürges
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Hendrik Juerges

Economics Letters, 2015, vol. 137, issue C, 13-16

Abstract: Recent economic studies have shown negative effects of intrauterine exposure to Ramadan on birth outcomes and long-term economic outcomes. I examine the effect of Ramadan fasting on birth weight and the fraction of male births in Germany, which has large and diverse Muslim communities. Using data on 1 million births to Muslim mothers from 1996 to 2010, I find virtually no effect of Ramadan exposure on either outcome. Earlier results from other countries based on smaller samples can therefore not be generalized.

Keywords: Fasting; Ramadan; Birth weight; Sex ratio (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I12 J13 Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:137:y:2015:i:c:p:13-16

DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2015.10.015

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