Primal Health Databank: Study
| Entry No: | 0155 |
| Title: | Season of birth predicts mortality in rural Gambia |
| Author(s): | Moore S.E, Cole TJ, et al. |
| Reference: | Nature 1997; 388: 434 |
| Place of Study: | Gambia |
| Abstract: | This is an analysis of births and deaths in 3 Gambian villages dating back to 1949. The record provide data on month of birth for 3,102 individuals born between 1949 and 1994 for whom current fate (number of deaths and date of death) is known with certainty up until the end of 1994. The interest of this study is that in the Gambia the wet season (July - October) coincides with an annual hungry period where staple foods from the previous harvest are seriously depleted. During the hungry period impaired fetal growth reduces birth weight by 200-300 grams and doubles the incidence of low birth weight babies (<2.5kg). The most interesting finding is that at an early age deaths were similar in groups born between January and June and between July and December. But from the age of 15 those born in the hungry season had a greater mortality. At the age of 15 the rate of premature death was multiplied by 3.65 among those born between July and December and at the age of 35 the rate of death was multiplied by 10.4. These deaths were related to a great variety of causes, including maternal deaths. |
| Keyword(s): | fetal growth, Gambia, maternal mortality, mortality, seasonality of birth |
| Discussion: | This is the most convincing study ever published demonstrating that deprivation at the end of fetal life leads to poor health in adulthood. In such a country poor health expresses itself via infections and pregnancy related death and not via degenerative diseases. This study is different from those studies looking at the correlations between birth weight and health later in life. See entries 0176, 0175, 0172, 0155, 0034 and 0035. |
| See Also: | 0175, 0172, 0155, 0034, 0035 |
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