The Effect of Prenatal Exposure to Radiation on Birth Outcomes: Exploiting a Natural Experiment in Taiwan

Meng-Wen Tsou, Jin-Tan Liu, James Hammitt, Chyi-Horng Lu and Szu-Yu Zoe Kao

No 19-1019, TSE Working Papers from Toulouse School of Economics (TSE)

Abstract: We estimate the effect of prenatal exposure to radiation on infant health. By exploiting the 1983 Taiwanese radiation-contaminated buildings (RCBs) accident as a natural experiment, we compare birth outcomes between siblings and cousins exposed to different radiation levels. Given the 1983 accident was unanticipated and exposed cohorts were unaware of the risk until 1992, our design isolates the effect of radiation exposure during pregnancy from other effects. We provide the first evidence that prenatal exposure to a continuous low-level dose of radiation significantly reduces gestational length and increases the probabilities of prematurity and low birth weight.

JEL-codes: I10 I18 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The effect of prenatal exposure to radiation on birth outcomes: exploiting a natural experiment in Taiwan (2020)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:tse:wpaper:123111

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