Working Paper: NBER ID: w17713
Authors: Douglas Almond; Bhashkar Mazumder; Reyn Van Ewijk
Abstract: We consider the effects of daytime fasting by pregnant women during the lunar month of Ramadan on their children's test scores at age seven. Using English register data, we find that scores are .05 to .08 standard deviations lower for Pakistani and Bangladeshi students exposed to Ramadan in early pregnancy. These estimates are downward biased to the extent that Ramadan is not universally observed. We conclude that the effects of prenatal investments on test scores are comparable to many conventional educational interventions but are likely to be more cost effective and less subject to "fade out".
Keywords: Ramadan; Pregnancy; Academic Performance; Fasting; Human Capital
JEL Codes: I12; I14; I24; J15
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Exposure to Ramadan fasting during the first trimester of pregnancy (I12) | Reductions in children's academic performance (I24) |
| Fasting alters prenatal nutrition (J13) | Reductions in children's academic performance (I24) |
| Exposure to Ramadan fasting during the first trimester of pregnancy (I12) | Fasting alters prenatal nutrition (J13) |